The Search For Tomorrow
by LaughLoveLive2.0
Summary: Sequel to Requited. London and Maddie are back and their love affair is in full swing. Do they take it to the ultimate level? Old friends and new join them as they go on an incredible life journey. London/Maddie Londie femslash.
1. Sleeping Beauties

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

_From the movie Deep Blue Sea. Quotes from The Internet Movie Database (IMDb):_

_Russell Franklin: Was that a goddamn shark broke through that door?  
Carter Blake: I expect so.  
Russell Franklin: You expect so? Huh. Well, well, well. Am I the only asshole down here who thinks that a tad bit odd? It can do that? Bust through a steel door?_

**Author's Note: The only problem, Russell, is that's not a shark. IT'S TRIPLE L RETURNING TO THE SUITE LIFE FANDOM!**

**Triple L is back and better than ever and excited as all get out to bring you the long- awaited sequel to my first Suite Life fic, Requited. Now if you have gotten to this point and haven't read it, stop, go back to my profile and read Requited. I guarantee that if you love the idea of Maddie and London as a couple, then you'll love Requited. BTW, that reminds me… THIS IS A FEMSLASH STORY. If you do not wish to read a story containing that subject matter, then please select another story.**

**Now that the disclaimers are out of the way, here is the sequel, The Search for Tomorrow. I'm not telling you anything about the story except to say that you can expect appearances at some point from four of your favorite Disney Channel divas, Raven, Chelsea, Miley and Lilly. There are also some old original characters from the first story that I'm bringing back and two recurring characters from Suite Life that show up. **

**One last thing… when I create original characters for my stories, I use actual actors as my inspiration for the look and mannerisms of the character. And instead of revealing who they are as they show up, I'm gonna tell you now who's playing who so as you read, you'll know what they look like. Here you go.**

**Suite Life Characters**

**Corrie,**former classmate of Maddie's** – Vanessa Hudgens**

**Mary-Margaret,**former classmate of Maddie's** – Monique Coleman**

**Original Characters (and where to find them on the web)**

**Ray Collier, **senior partner at Maddie's law firm – **Robert Newman** (Josh Lewis from Guiding Light. Go to the official GL website.)

**James Beckett, **senior partner at Maddie's law firm – **Zeljko Ivanek** (Many roles. Do a Google image search.)

**Sandrine Mitterand, **London's secretary in France – **Nina Dobrev **(Mia Jones from Degrassi. Go to IMDb search.)

**Chloe Carpenter, **Maddie's secretary –**Bethany Joy Galeotti** (Haley James Scott from One Tree Hill. Go to IMDb search.)

**Whew! I'm out of breath. I'm done. Go read. I'll talk to you later. **

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**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 1**_

**Sleeping Beauties**

**Monday, January 8, 2018**

London lay on the sofa in her fifteenth floor condo sound asleep. London was exhausted. She had spent the last three months personally overseeing the construction of Tipton Hotels newest resort at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. She would fly back to Boston every other weekend to spend time with Maddie. She had also finished negotiations with Simon and Schuster to write her first book, _The Search for Tomorrow: How London's Bridges Came Tumbling Down_, the story of her early snob days, her personal tragedy and the subsequent triumph with the help of the love of her life, Maddie.

London decided to take the day off, extending her weekend by one day to concentrate on writing her book. She was roughly seventy pages into writing when sleep overtook her. Considering that London had accumulated only twelve hours of sleep in the previous three and a half days, seventy pages was an accomplishment to say the least. It was one o'clock in the afternoon and London Tipton was dead to the world.

Maddie, on the other hand, was as alive as a woman could possibly be. She had been the hottest up-and-coming criminal defense attorney in Boston. Now she was the hottest young corporate attorney in the city. The law firm of Collier, Beckett and Associates had caught fire and was rising to the top of the heap of New England law firms. Maddie had just received a $20,000 Christmas bonus, for her contributions to the firm as well as a $30,000 raise, putting her over the $100,000 mark in salary for the first time. It was no where close to the $100 million that London cleared after taxes the previous year, but not once did London ever make Maddie to feel inferior to her. The heiress was actually quite proud of Maddie and her rising star reputation around town

Rumors were beginning to circulate around the office that Ray Collier and James Beckett were going to name at least one, perhaps two new junior partners to have their names added to the company letterhead. Could she possibly be named a partner at 28 years old? Was the name Collier, Beckett, Fitzpatrick and Associates a possibility? Maddie began to entertain that possibility as she took advantage of the rare moment of silence in her office. She stared out the window of her 27th floor office.

She wondered to herself what life might be like over in executive wing of the floor. As nice as her office was, the offices of the senior partners made her office look like a nineteenth century out house. Rich cherry wood seemed to adorn every nook, cranny, corner and crevice of those two palatial offices. She saw herself kicking back and propping her feet up on a desk big enough to play hide-and-go seek in. She even imagined what it would be like for her secretary Chloe to transition from a work area twenty paces from the elevator to an outer office alcove. Those thoughts of potential grandeur were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Maddie called out as she swiveled around in her chair to see who it was. She flashed a brief smile when she saw her secretary, Chloe. "What's up, Clo?"

To Maddie, Chloe Carpenter was an enigma wrapped inside a riddle. The pixyish, adorably cute five-foot-three inch blonde had many faces. There were days that it appeared that she and Maddie were separated at birth. They would have the same thought at the same time, she would bring coffee or supplies or a phone number to Maddie a split second before she asked for it. She was at times meticulous and at times scatterbrained. One moment, she would be lusting after Ray Collier behind his back, the next minute she was casting a silent, wayward eye at the redhead paralegal down the hall. But for all of Chloe's idiosyncrasies, she was Maddie's right hand and Maddie vowed to herself that if she rose to the top at Collier, Beckett, she would take Chloe with her.

Chloe stepped inside Maddie's office and closed the door before stepping up to the edge of Maddie's desk and sitting down in the wing chair.

"Mister Beckett said he wanted to see you in his office when you get a chance." Chloe said.

Maddie rolled her eyes. "Uhh! I wonder what he wants now. I swear that man doesn't like me."

"I don't think he likes anybody." Chloe said. "You know he referees in the youth basketball league. I heard he ejected his own son from the game for arguing with him!"

"Shut up, Chloe!" Maddie said laughing. "You are so stupid!"

Chloe responded. "I'm serious! He has the worst Napoleon complex I've ever seen! The short mother…"

"Clo! You've been hanging around me too much!" Maddie exclaimed.

Chloe laughed. "I guess I have. But look I didn't come in here to tell you that. I came in here to tell you that I heard from a reliable source that the big boys are thinking about adding two junior partners from inside the firm!"

"And who… is your reliable source?" Maddie inquired. "Would it be Collier's secretary, Jen, the one you have the hots for?"

"What are you talking about? I don't have the hots for her! And who said I was gay anyway?" Chloe said.

"My God, woman! You might as well have Closet Maid tattooed on your butt! Just come on out already!" Maddie exclaimed.

"I… haven't decided which team I like better yet. I'm… comparison shopping." Chloe admitted. "But anyway… Jen saw an email from Beckett to Collier saying that he has his eye on four or five possibles."

"Any idea who?" Maddie asked.

"No. But I'm willing to bet that one of them is a stunningly gorgeous blonde second-year associate." Chloe said.

"You mean Barry Levesque?" Maddie said. Chloe smirked. "Oh! You mean me! You think?"

"Just make sure you don't leave me behind when you move to Cherrywood City." Chloe said, referring to the executive wing.

"Cherrywood City. I like that. I'm gonna use that." Maddie said with a head nod and a smile. She then stood up. "Well, let me see what ol' Jimmy Boy wants. Probably wants to pile more work on my plate." She said as she walked toward her door and opened it. "Wish me luck."

"Luck." Chloe said with a wave as she watched Maddie leave and head for Beckett's office.

Maddie walked around to executive wing and into James Beckett's outer office. His secretary was on maternity leave and the temp agency had yet to send her fill-in so Maddie walked up to his door unchecked. She took a deep breath before knocking on his door.

James Beckett was a force of nature. He was about five-feet, eight inches tall on a good day, with rapidly thinning hair. He always gave you the impression that he was twenty minutes late for the most important meeting of his life and that you were four seconds away from wasting his time and that what you had to say had better be important. It took everything Maddie had inside her to tolerate him. He came off as dismissive and borderline rude. Ray Collier explained that he is so wrapped up in what he's doing that he forgets common courtesy. Collier even went as far as to say that Beckett really liked and respected the work that she does. She thought he was blowing smoke by saying that, but she smiled and pretended to believe him nonetheless.

Maddie's mind wrapped around all of that before she lightly tapped on the door.

"Come in." Beckett said curtly. Maddie pushed the door open to see him with a haphazard pile of papers on his desk with his head bent, poring over the documents. He looked up and, to Maddie's surprise, smiled. "Maddie. Please, have a seat."

Maddie walked over to take a seat with trepidation. "Mr. Beckett. Chloe said you wanted to see me."

"Maddie, I have this complex commercial lease that I need you to take a look at." Beckett said before handing a thick manila file to her. Maddie opened the file and skimmed the first couple of pages.

"Mr. Beckett, this is a big project." Maddie said. "I'm gonna need a few paralegals on this one."

"Done." Beckett said.

"And I've got three other leases and a pending sale coming up. I don't know if…" Maddie started before being interrupted.

"You can't handle it?" Beckett inquired.

"Of course I can handle it. It's just…" Maddie responded before being interrupted again by Ray Collier's entrance.

"Jim. Maddie. Sorry I'm late." Ray Collier said.

"Late? I didn't know you were joining us." Maddie said.

"Damnit. Jim. You didn't tell her that both of us were meeting with her?" Collier said.

"No. I just gave her the Banknorth Plaza project." Beckett said.

"And did you tell her why you gave that project to her?" Collier asked. He was met with silence and a disengaged chuckle from his co-senior partner. "Jesus, Jim!" Collier exclaimed before he turned to Maddie. "Maddie, I'm sorry about this. I thought we had our shit together but obviously…" Collier caught himself before he lashed out at his partner again. "We are not assigning this project to you. We are offering this project to you, but it comes with a catch."

"What's the catch?" Maddie asked.

"The catch is that you have to accept the title of Associate Partner and the $400,000 salary that goes with it." Collier said.

Maddie sat frozen in her seat. Her brain went into overdrive attempting to process what she just heard. "I… uhh… can I have some water, please?" Maddie asked. "I'm gonna need it… when I wake… up." And with that, Maddie passed out in the chair inside Jim Beckett's office.

"Maddie? Maddie? Maddie?" Maddie heard a faint voice above her head as the darkness faded away and gave way to the light.

"Where…"

"You're back in your office." Maddie's eyes fluttered open to see Chloe sitting on the edge of the sofa looking down at her. "The Incredible Hunk carried you in here and laid you down." Chloe said referring to Ray Collier. "What happened?"

"He…" Maddie started as she attempted to sit up. Chloe grabbed her arm and helped her sit up straight. "He… didn't tell you?" Chloe shook her head in the negative. "Clo, pack up your stuff. We're moving to Cherrywood City."

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London had turned for the fourth time when the clock in the apartment hit seven o'clock. She had reached her sixth consecutive hour of sleep. She returned to her original position with her left arm draped across her forehead, her legs stretched straight out in front of her. She was dressed in a gray Boston Celtics t-shirt and black gym shorts, her lounging outfit of choice.

Maddie stepped into the elevator, headed for London's place. London had given Maddie a key to her condo the day she moved in. It was for all intents and purposes their place. Maddie wondered why they hadn't moved in with each other to begin with. They hadn't spent a night apart since they began dating. When Maddie stepped off the elevator on the fifteenth floor, she couldn't help but smile. All of the troubles of the day just melted away with each step she took toward the front door.

Of course on this day the troubles were few considering her new promotion and standing at the firm. Maddie was as close to walking on air as one could get. She wanted to scream her good news from the rooftops but first, she couldn't wait to tell London. She slid the key in the lock, throwing the door open in the process. Just as the door left her hand, she noticed the sleeping beauty on the sofa. Luckily, the door was on a hydraulic hinge and didn't slam up against the wall. Maddie cocked her head to the side and smiled. She hadn't seen London that peaceful in a while. And while she didn't want to disturb her, she knew London would kill her if she didn't wake her up to say hello.

Maddie sat her work bag and coat down in the arm chair and knelt down at London's feet. She placed a soft kiss on London's big toe. She saw a smile form on London's lips but her eyes had yet to open. She then wrapped her lips around London's toe and gently sucked. She heard a soft moan emanate from the Asian beauty. Maddie then began to slowly kiss her way up the inside of London's left leg, eliciting several more unconscious moans from her. It was when Maddie place her first kiss above London's knee did her eyes pop open for the first time.

"Maddie?" London exclaimed breathlessly.

"Hi baby." Maddie said softly.

"What time is it?" London asked.

"About ten after seven." Maddie said.

"Mmmm." London hummed. "Welcome home." She said sleepily. "How was work?"

"Wake up and I'll tell you." Maddie said, her head resting on London's knee.

"Finish waking me up." London replied with a mixture of sleep and arousal on her lips. Maddie responded by grinning then sliding London's t-shirt up just past her navel and placing several short kisses on her midsection. "Shit!" London whisper-spat. "You… know I like that."

"Figured that'll wake you up." Maddie said as she slid on top of London, coming face-to-face with her.

"So will this." London said before leaning up and capturing Maddie's lips in a scorching kiss. Maddie felt an electric intensity from London that she had never felt, not even on the first night they made love.

"Wha…" Maddie's attempted question was cut off by London's lips. Maddie managed to briefly pull away again and ask her question. "What has gotten into you?"

London looked up at Maddie with a look of lust in her eyes that stunned Maddie. "I had a sexy dream and you look really good to me right now." With that, London gently pulled Maddie's head down for another kiss while grinding her body up into Maddie.

The feelings that were shooting through Maddie's body were overwhelming but she was determined to share her good news with London. "Baby… hold on." Maddie said in between kisses. "Baby, please… Look. Wait." Maddie finally managed to get London to listen. "I promise that after I tell you what happened to me today, you can do anything you want to me, and I mean anything, but please let me tell you first."

"You know I can't say no when you call me baby." London said as Maddie lifted up allowing London to slide back and prop her torso up on the side cushion. "So… what happened to my baby today?"

"Your baby… works for a new law firm." Maddie said.

"WHAT?" London exploded. "When did this happen?"

"This afternoon." Maddie said calmly. "Your baby is the newest member of the law firm of Collier, Beckett, Fitzpatrick and Associates."

London looked at Maddie with a puzzled look on her face, still not quite following Maddie's train of thought. "Collier, Beckett, Fitz… OH MY GOD THEY MADE YOU PARTNER! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" London screamed at the top of her lungs and threw her arms around a beaming Maddie, who returned the embrace. After several ecstatically loud moments, London broke the embrace and looked into Maddie's eyes. She then reached out to cup Maddie's face as she was overwhelmed by tears. "Maddie! You did it! I'm so happy for you!" This time London collapsed into Maddie arms sobbing. Maddie, for the first time that day, let down her emotional guard as she began to weep for joy as well.

Several minutes later, they began wiping away their tears as Maddie slid her heels off and tucked her feet underneath her on the sofa. "They offered it to me this afternoon and after I regained consciousness, I accepted."

"You… fainted?" London asked incredulously.

"I woke up on the couch in my office." Maddie said.

"What kind of financial package did they give you?" London asked.

"Four… hundred… thousand… dollars." Maddie said slowly, still not believing the figure.

"I had that in my piggy bank when I was four." London snapped in her rich bitch tone. Maddie looked at her in horror before London smiled. "I'm kidding, Blondie! I am so happy for you! What are you gonna buy first?"

"Well, after I buy you THE biggest lobster dinner in the history of Boston, Mass, I'm gonna buy my mother… you know what? Hang on a sec." Maddie said as she reached over London to grab the phone from the side table. She dialed a number and waited. "Hello Scott? This is Madeline Fitzpatrick… I'm fine, how about you? Look, remember when I came in there few months ago for our meeting and I told you about what I wished I could get for my mother? Well, wishes are about to come true. Draw up the purchase order and I'll come down to sign the papers in the morning… Yes, she will. Thank you. You too."

"Did you just…" London started to ask.

"I did." Maddie said. "My mother is going to have the best birthday dinner she has ever had."

"Are you sure she didn't want to go to a restaurant?" London asked.

"Yeah. Genevieve said that she just wanted to have a nice family dinner at home." Maddie replied, referring to her older sister.

"I guess that rules me out." London said flatly.

"Now stop that. I told you that you are welcome in the Fiztpatrick house." Maddie said.

"I was. But your mother has been cold to me ever since we started dating." London said.

"And I told you that as long as Irving Fitzpatrick is around, you will be welcome. Besides, Dad and I have been working on Mom. She can be very stubborn sometimes." Maddie said.

"Now I know where you get it from." London joked.

"Is that right?" Maddie asked with a smirk. "Well you know… being stubborn can have its advantages."

"For example?" London asked.

"For example…" Maddie started. "If I wanted you to come, my stubbornness could work to both our advantages because I wouldn't stop until I got what I wanted."

"And how would you go about doing that?" London asked.

Maddie got up on her knees and slowly crawled over until her body was pressed against London's. "I might do something like this." Maddie then snaked her right hand inside London's shorts, gliding her finger over London's wetness before bringing her finger back up and massaging her clit.

"I… see." London eked out. "Then… what?"

"We've got all night for the… then-what." Maddie purred.

"Then what… are you waiting for?" London purred in return before pressing her lips to Maddie's for the beginning of yet another night to remember.

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**Don't be greedy. We just got started. There is plenty of time for you to read about Maddie and London's escapades in the bedroom. But there's more of a story to tell. Dinner with the Fitzpatrick clan is next. Is there trouble ahead? Come back and find out. PLEASE REVIEW.**


	2. Mommie Dearest

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story. **

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**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 2**_

**Mommie Dearest**

**Friday, February 9, 2018**

London drove down the street leading to Tipton's new North American headquarters in South Bay Tower. She had a lot of things on her mind that morning, first and foremost was the Fitzpatrick family dinner that she was to attend later on that evening. London had been in board meetings with Fortune 500 CEO's, rubbed elbows with Hollywood celebrities and dined with world leaders. Maddie's mother, however, scared her silly.

For years, London had been a welcome guest in the home of Irving and Miranda Fitzpatrick. Even though she had more money than they knew what to do with, they felt sorry for the beautiful young lady that Irving once described as being mentally "touched" at times. They had actually come to look at London as their fourth child. That all changed, however, on that rainy April Thursday when Madeline sat down in her parents living room to tell them that she had started dating that "mentally touched" girl.

Maddie's father surprisingly understood. He had seen his daughter work so hard for the things that she wanted out of life and he had never before seen such a look of joy on her face when she described her feelings for London. When she finished her explanation, he smiled at his youngest daughter and kissed her forehead, wishing her the best.

Miranda Fitzpatrick, on the other hand, exploded. She went into a full-blown rant, beginning with the Catholic Church's doctrine on homosexuality and ending with the demonization of American television, especially that "cesspool of perversion", The L Word. Her tirade reduced the normally unflappable Maddie to tears and sent her running from the house with London hot on her heels.

Maddie didn't speak to her mother for two months after that night. Only her father's trip to emergency room for angioplasty following a mild heart attack in late June brought mother and daughter together again. Even then, the subject of Maddie and London was a lightly treaded upon subject. London had several interactions with Miranda following the incident at the house, with Miranda keeping London at arms length. Maddie and her father continued to try to convince Miranda to give London a chance to show her what she's all about but their efforts are met with detached ambivalence at best.

With this at the forefront of her mind, she pulled into the garage at her office building and parked. After stepping out of her Mercedes S550, the same one she rented on her return trip home, she made her way to the elevator on route to her thirtieth floor office. She took this time to make a call so she pulled out her cell phone and dialed.

"_Collier Beckett, Maddie Fitzpatrick."_

"I was hoping they had changed the name already." London said.

"_They're making a formal announcement on Monday. They said the website and signage should be changed by next Friday." _Maddie said. _"You at work yet?"_

"Riding up in the elevator now." London said. "I'm gonna try to take it easy today. I'm gonna be stressed enough tonight."

"_There you go again. I told you, everything is going to be fine. It's my mother's birthday. Genevieve and her husband are gonna be there. My mother will be on her best behavior." _Maddie said. _"Now relax, have a cappuccino when you get upstairs, check your email and believe you're gonna have a great day."_

"You know something, Blondie? You're right." London said confidently. "I am going to take my shoes off, have a nice cappuccino and think about you, me and a position I read about on Dr. Sue's website."

"_That sounds promising."_ Maddie purred in response.

"Yep. This is gonna be a great day!" London said just before the elevator doors opened on her floor to a scene of near chaos. Her executive assistant was standing toe-to-toe with the executive assistant for one of her regional vice presidents. They were involved in a heated screaming match that was bordering on violent. "What the hell… Maddie, I'll call you later!" London said before snapping her phone shut and looking at the unfolding scene in disbelief along with several staff member that had gathered in the nearby hallway.

"MAYBE IF YOU TOOK YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS YOU'D KNOW HOW TO DO YOUR JOB!" The VP's assistant screamed.

"MAYBE IF YOU TOOK YOUR ASS OUT OF YOUR BOSSES' FACE, YOU COULD GET SOME WORK DONE!" London's assistant countered.

"I'M NOT THE ONE DEEPTHROATING THE JANITOR AFTER HOURS!"

"YOU FUCKING BITCH!" London's assistant pushed the other woman backwards, separating them by several feet. Before they could step forward to engage each other fully, London stepped forward.

"DOES SOMEBODY WANT TO TELL ME WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" London shouted, rendering all other shouting silent for the moment as they realized that "the boss" was standing there.

"London, she has been harassing me….

"I've been harassing you? You've been talking about me…"

The two women began talking on top of each other for several sentences until London's blood boiled to overflowing.

"BOTH OF YOU, SHUT THE HELL UP!" London had reached her redline. "You two wanted to put your business out here like this? Fine. Allow me to join in." London said as she dropped her work bag to the floor with a thud and slammed her keys onto the desk in front of her for emphasis. "What I just witnessed here was childish, unladylike and unprofessional. I don't give a damn what it was about, just like you didn't give a damn about who heard you. You both have…" London looked at the clock on the wall that read 8:47. "Thirteen minutes to pack your shit up and be out of the building. You're both fired."

"But, London…" "Miss Tipton…"

It was then that London's stack blew for the final and definitive time. "DID I STUTTER? GRAB SOME BOXES FROM THE FREIGHT ELEVATOR, PACK UP YOUR SHIT AND GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE! YOU HAVE…" London looked at the clock again and stared at it as she spoke. "TWELVE MINUTES AND NINE… EIGHT…SEVEN… SIX SECONDS!" The two women took that as their cue to get out of Dodge as they scurried toward opposite ends of the hallway. London looked around at the other people standing in the hallway and decided in that moment to leave no doubt as to what was expected.

"IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO DUKE IT OUT, GO ON JERRY SPRINGER OR ELIMIDATE OR SOME OTHER BULLSHIT REALITY SHOW BECAUSE THIS IS A PLACE OF BUSINESS! SO GO TELL EVERYBODY THAT I LOST IT THIS MORNING AND THREW TWO PEOPLE OUT OF THE BUILDING! THAT'S ONE PIECE OF GOSSIP THAT I WANT YOU TO SPREAD! NOW… THE NEXT PERSON THAT ACTS LIKE THEY WANT TO FIGHT WILL BE FIGHTING SECURITY AFTER I CALL THEM!" London paused. "NOW GET BACK TO WORK!" With that, London snatched her keys off the desk and grabbed her back off the floor before stalking into her office and slamming the door so hard that the pictures on the wall in her office shook.

Outside London's office, shell-shocked employees were just starting to make sense of what had just taken place. It was then that the elevator chime sounded and a young woman stepped off and into the lobby area.

"Excuse me." The young woman said to a young female employee walking by. "I am looking for London Tipton's office."

"It's right there ma'am. But you really don't want to go in there right now." The female employee said. "She just fired two employees for fighting and read the rest of us the riot act. I've never seen her so pissed off."

The young woman smirked. "Don't worry. I know how to handle her. Thank you." With that, the tall, beautiful brunette confidently strode up to London's door and knocked.

"Not now!" She heard London call out from behind the door. She knocked a second time. "NOT NOW I SAID!" London sounded slightly angrier the second time. Undeterred, the young woman knocked a third time. This time, she heard mad scrambling behind the door and a fast approaching rage-filled muttering. "Are you deaf? I said NOT NOW!" London said just before flinging the door open.

"Is that any way to treat me after I've come so far?" The young woman calmly asked with a warm smile.

London's jaw dropped in shock. "Sandrine?" London looked at her from head to toe and back up again.

Sandrine Mitterand was London's secretary when she ran the Paris office. The tall brunette turned heads everywhere she went with her natural beauty and grace. She was in phenomenal physical condition and moonlighted as a personal trainer back in France. In the eight years that London had known Sandrine, she had become a very good friend and with Maddie's elevation to lover, Sandrine has become London's de facto best friend.

"The one and only!" Sandrine said as London sighed loudly and stepped forward, throwing her arms around the stunningly gorgeous French woman who returned the warm embrace.

"What are you doing here? And what happened to your accent?" London asked.

"I still have a little bit of an accent, but mostly I can thank the Rosetta Stone and lots of American movies and TV shows." Sandrine said.

"Come in! Come in!" London ushered Sandrine into her office and offering her a seat.

"This is much nicer that your office in Paris!" Sandrine said.

"It's all right." London said. "Now you didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?"

"Well, remember how you said if I ever need anything that I should just ask?" Sandrine said.

"Of course. You're my friend. What can I do for you?" London said.

"I left Paul. I told him that I felt like this is where I belonged… in America." Sandrine said.

"Oh my God!" London exclaimed. "You talked about doing it but I never thought you would!"

"Well I did. I took my life's savings, moved to Boston and got an apartment." Sandrine said. "I… was hoping that you would be able to see if there are any jobs available here. Corporate told me they couldn't transfer me."

"Why didn't you call me? I'd have set something up for you!" London said.

"You had enough on your plate with Maddie and all. Plus I wanted to surprise you." Sandrine said.

"Well I sure am surprised." London said. "And it just so happens that a job just became available. How about a raise and a promotion to become my Executive Assistant?"

"Are you serious?" Sandrine asked excitedly, showing that her accent was still there.

London smirked before standing up and going around behind her desk to pick up the phone. _"Jim, hi. It's London. I'm walking a new hire down there. Her name is Sandrine Mitterand. Call the Paris office and ask them to fax her paperwork to you. She was my secretary over there... Yes, we'll be down in a little bit.."_

"I don't know what to say. Thank you so much." Sandrine said.

"That's what friends are for." London said sweetly. London decided to change subjects. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too. Paris just wasn't the same without you there." Sandrine said.

"Well don't worry about the whole dating scene here. As good as you look, you can have your pick of any man in Boston." London said.

"Or woman." Sandrine added.

"Okay, look. I know that you idolize me and all, but you don't have to become a lesbian just because I did. Even though I am a damn good one according to Maddie." London joked. Sandrine laughed.

"You are too much!" Sandrine said laughing. "I'm not saying I'm a lesbian, I just… want to have a good time and feel good and free, and if that means being with a sexy man… great. If it means being with a beautiful woman… so be it."

"Well, whether they are male or female, you will not be lacking for a date, that's for darn sure!" London said.

"So how are you two doing? It's been three months since I spoke to you last." Sandrine asked.

"We are in love and living life to the fullest." London said.

"Any plans to tie the knot like your friends Raven and Chelsea?" Sandrine asked.

"I've been thinking about it." London said. "I haven't broached the subject with Maddie yet."

"Well, you better invite me to the wedding when it happens." Sandrine said.

"Invite you? Girl, you are gonna be IN the wedding! You're my best platonic friend!" London said hugging Sandrine. "Welcome to Boston, girl."

Sandrine smiled as she hugged London. "It's good to be here."

* * *

Later that evening…

Maddie and London were readying themselves for Miranda Fitzpatrick's birthday dinner. They stood at the dual sinks in London's bathroom applying the finishing touches to their makeup.

"We're underdressed." London said.

"I asked Genevieve three times and she said jeans were fine." Maddie said.

"What about your gift?" London asked.

"Their next door neighbor, Mister Delehanty has it right now. He snuck it in while my parents were at work." Maddie said.

"I'm nervous." London said. Maddie stopped in her tracks and turned to London.

"Princess, don't worry. I'm right there with you and I'm not running away this time." Maddie said.

"You didn't run away before. At least I didn't think so." London said.

"I want you to remember this… you are just as much family to me as they are. Okay? I love you with all my heart." Maddie said.

"Thank you. I love you too." London said as she turned back to the mirror. "You know something? I was thinking…"

"Back in the day there would have been a joke there." Maddie joked.

"Ha ha, very funny." London deadpanned. "I was thinking… what do you think about us getting a place together?"

Maddie was slightly taken aback. "Uhh, wow! I… never really thought about it."

"We're both paying on mortgages for condos in the same building. We could get one place and save some money." London said. "And before you say it, wealthy people look for ways to save money too. That's how they stay wealthy."

"Well, since I'm in a higher tax bracket, I should start thinking that way." Maddie said with a chuckle.

"I've seen some beautiful homes in Wellesley." London said, referring to the affluent community about thirteen miles west of the city.

"I have always dreamed of owning a house in Wellesley." Maddie said.

"With your salary, you could afford it by yourself." London said.

"Oh wow! I can!" Maddie exclaimed before softening. "But it wouldn't be the same without you." She then paused. "Yes. Let's do it. Let's move to Wellesley." London squealed and bear hugged Maddie. "But I think we should keep at least one of our apartments… London." They both laughed. "I guess we'll sell mine."

"I've got an idea. Leave that to me." London said. "All right. Enough stalling. The guillotine awaits."

"Don't start throwing a whole bunch of French words around now that Sandrine's in town!" Maddie joked.

"Et si je vous ai dit que je veux ne vous lécher jusqu'à ce que vous l'orgasme ?" London offered in French.

"I don't even know what you said, but it sounds good to me." Maddie said.

"Oh I know you'll love it. Come on." London said with a smile as they exited the bathroom.

A half an hour later, London and Maddie arrived at the Fitzpatrick home. Maddie's parents lived there alone. Her younger brother Liam was a senior at Boston University and her older sister Genevieve was married with a three-year-old boy, Matthew. All of the aforementioned family members would be at the celebration. Maddie's three remaining grandparents passed away five years earlier.

"Remember, everybody loves you. Even Mom… in her own… funny way." Maddie did her best to reassure London just before opening the front door. "WE'RE HERE!"

"Maddie! London!" Everyone bellowed in unison, except for the birthday honoree.

"Maddie! Good to see you Sis." Genevieve said.

"How are you Genny?" Maddie said embracing her sister.

"I am what I am." Genny responded in typical Genny fashion.

"London." Genny embraced her with a warm smile. "You remember my husband, Aaron."

"Hi Aaron." London said with an embrace. "And is this little Matthew?" London said, picking up the fair haired boy.

"He might not speak to you. He's mad. Daddy had to spank him a few minutes ago." Genny said.

"What did you do? Huh? You weren't a bad boy, were you?" London playfully asked. The little boy simply lay his head on London's shoulder in response. London walked over to Maddie's father still holding Matthew. "Hi Irving."

"Hello Sweetheart." Irving said with gruff warmth. "You look prettier every time I see you."

"Good Evening Miranda." London said. "Happy Birthday."

"Thank you dear. Good evening to you." Miranda said with lukewarm enthusiasm.

Maddie took London's coat and handed it along with her own to Aaron to put away just before Genny called everyone to the table.

"Hi mom." Maddie said.

"Hello Madeline." Miranda said, embracing her daughter warmly.

"Gather round everybody!" Genny said ushering everyone into the dining room. Several moments later, everyone was in place.

"Irving, bless the food." Miranda barked out of the corner of her mouth.

"Lord, drop a cross on her head." Irving muttered under his breath.

"I heard that, you hooligan." Miranda shot back.

"Potato face." Irving mumbled once more.

Maddie leaned over to London to whisper. "Imagine what they'd be like if they hated each other." London chuckled under her breath.

"Everybody hold hands." Genny said. Miranda, standing next to London, hesitated slightly before gingerly taking London's hand. Irving then began the blessing of the food.

At the conclusion of the blessing, London shot Miranda a faint smile before everyone took their seats and began digging into the feast. Near the end of the meal, the conversation came around to Maddie's promotion.

"I can't believe that you're a partner at one of the most prestigious law firms in New England!" Genny said.

"All her friends back in Providence are going to lose their minds when she tells them." Aaron said.

"We're all so proud of ya, darlin'." Irving said. "My little girl, an attorney… a partner like on L.A. Law."

"Just don't go spending all that hard-earned money." Miranda said. "You need to save some of it for when you have a family… if you have a family."

"London and I are going to have a family. Right London?" Maddie asked.

"Absolutely." London said. "Little Maddie Junior and London Junior will be running around our feet playing. We're gonna love it."

"London Junior." Maddie snickered before breaking out into a laugh. "Remember that project, Princess?"

London started laughing. "We tore that poor doll apart, didn't we?" Maddie responded by laughing harder.

"I… don't mean to spoil your fun…" Miranda said sweetly. "But aren't you two missing something in the whole baby-making equation?" An eerie silence settled over the table as Genny and Aaron looked awkwardly toward Maddie and London for a response.

"It's called artificial insemination, Mom. That's what lesbians do these days if they want to have children." Maddie said calmly.

"Have you forgotten your Catholic upbringing, young lady?" Miranda asked, raising her voice slightly. "You know what the Church says about artificial insemination. It is immoral. It completely omits the unitive aspect of the sexual act. Not to mention how the Church feels about what the two of you do."

"When was the last time our act was unitive?" Irving asked.

"This is no time for your shenanigans, Irving." Miranda said.

"No, Mom. Maybe it is time for Dad's shenanigans." Maddie said as she felt her temperature start to rise. "Maybe if you appreciated Dad's shenanigans a little more, maybe you'd be a little less uptight!" Genny dropped her head in disbelief. Aaron shifted uncomfortably in his seat, unable to look either one of them in the eye.

"Come on Squirt! Let's get some fresh air." Aaron said to little Matthew, picking his son up and heading for the front door, attempting to evacuate himself from the blast zone.

"Do you hear that, Irving? Do you hear what that lesbian fetish thing has done to our daughter?" Miranda pleaded. London felt herself getting as angry as she was earlier in the day but chose to let Maddie deal with her own mother. "She speaks out like a harlot against her own mother in her own home!"

"This isn't my home! This hasn't been my home since the night you raged like a wild woman and drove me out of here in tears!" Maddie exclaimed. "I came here to celebrate your birthday, to bring a little joy into your miserable, narrow-minded life! But you don't want that. You want to make me and my girlfriend uncomfortable." Miranda bristled at that statement. "That's right. London Tipton is my girlfriend, my LESBIAN LOVER, Mom! She has more love for me in her pinky toe than all of my former boyfriends combined! And we are going to have children… several of them. And we are going to live in our big house in Wellesley, which we're buying within the next two months thank you very much! And we are going to have so much unitive sex that we just might violate the Wellesley noise ordinance!"

"You… are going… TO HELL! Are you happy about that?" Miranda spat.

"I'M ALREADY STANDING IN HELL NOW!" Maddie shot back. "GOD! There IS no talking to you! Come on London!" Maddie turned on her heels and headed for the front door. London looked disdainfully at Miranda and received a supportive squeeze of the hand from Irving as she got up from the table. "Good night Genny." Maddie said to her sister who sat at the table watching the unfolding scene in silent horror.

"MADELINE MARGARET GENEVIEVE MIRANDA CATHERINE FITZPATRICK! DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME! MADELINE!" Miranda screamed.

Maddie slowed as she reached the front door before adding her own personal exclamation to the night. Maddie reached inside her purse and pulled out a brand-new Mercedes car key with an alarm fob attached.

"By the way… happy birthday. Enjoy your damn car." Maddie venomously spat before hanging the key on the hooks near the front door. London and Maddie whizzed by Aaron and Matthew on their way out. "Good night Aaron. Good night Matthew." Maddie muttered as she and London walked down the front stairs. Aaron and Matthew watched Maddie and London hop into Maddie's car and peel away with the screech of tires on pavement.

Aaron looked at the quickly retreating car then down at his son. Just then, Genny walked outside to join her husband. Aaron decided to break his wife's tension with his best Joan Crawford impersonation, shaking his fists above his head with a maniacal look on his face. "NO LIPSTICK LESBIANS… EVER!" Aaron exclaimed, imitating the famous "no wire hangars" scene from Mommie Dearest.

Genny looked at her husband for a moment like he was insane. "That is the LAST time I let you watch Mommie Dearest with me." Genny said before turning to go back inside.

* * *

**This story gets happier, starting in the next chapter. That is my promise to you. But who doesn't enjoy a good shouting match or two? This time you got a shouting match, a telling off and London flicking off in her office! And then there's Sandrine, sweet Sandrine. But next, the beginning of a series of big decisions in the lives of London and Maddie. Come back for chapter two, but before you do… PLEASE REVIEW.**


	3. Havlicek Stole the Ball

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**Author's Note: The title of this chapter refers to the most famous radio call in the history of Boston Celtics basketball. I won't bore you with the details. Just know that there was a guy that played for the Celtics named Havlicek (pronounced Have-li-check) and he stole the ball. And yes, there is a good reason that the chapter has this title. **

**

* * *

**

**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 3**_

**Havlicek Stole the Ball**

The first fifteen minutes of the car ride home were silent. Maddie gripped the steering wheel tightly as she peered out into the black Boston night. London sat in the passenger seat watching the road being swallowed up in front of her, only occasionally glancing over at her beautiful, but irritated lover. Only after seeing Maddie's hands begin to loosen on the steering wheel did London decide that it was safe enough to speak.

"Sweetie, you okay?" London asked gingerly.

"She can just make me so damn mad sometimes." Maddie said with quiet intensity. "But… I should have known something like that was going to happen. I shouldn't have expected any better."

"Rome wasn't built in a day. Give her some more time. She loves you. Now, when she stops yelling at you, then you should worry." London said.

Maddie paused for a moment to consider London's statement. "You know, you're right." Just then, her cell phone rang. "Hello?... Yeah, Genny, I'm fine… I know… She is? Why?... Okay… I love you too… I will… Bye."

"Everything alright?" London asked.

"Genny said that Mom is sitting at the dining room table looking at an album full of pictures of the two of us." Maddie said. "I wonder why that is."

"She's trying to make sense of us. She doesn't understand." London said. Maddie nodded. "Tell you what. Why don't we go back home, slip into our comfy cozies with some hot chocolate and watch some TV."

"I'd like that." Maddie said with a smile. "Do you have marshmallows?"

"We'll stop and grab some." London said.

"What would I do without you?" Maddie asked.

"You'd wither away and die, Blondie. You'd wither away and die." London responded to the laughter of her true love.

**Monday, March 12, 2018**

London sat at her desk sifting through the many solicitations for donations that her company receives each week. She loved doing things for the community and she was at a loss for ideas for the current year.

London was also looking to diversify her own personal portfolio. Her financial advisor told her to spread out her investments and even suggesting purchasing another business or at the very least investing in a company that she could help grow.

"I guess we'll do this again. We always get a big turnout." London said referring to the Susan G. Komen breast cancer black tie benefit they did for several years before discontinuing it. London hit her intercom to call Sandrine, who was given an office down the hall from London. "Sandrine? You got a minute?"

"_Be right there."_Sandrine said. Seconds later, Sandrine entered the office. "Yes London?"

"What do you think about this?" London asked, handing Sandrine the internal newsletter highlighting the last black tie gala four years earlier.

"I think it's a wonderful idea. But why did they stop doing it?" Sandrine asked.

"Something about funding, lack of turnout… but I bet that the two of us could drum up some interest in this thing! Couldn't we?" London said with a sparkle in her eyes.

"Yes. And I look hot in an evening gown." Sandrine said with a devilish smirk.

"You… are terrible!" London said jokingly. "Well, that takes care of the professional community service project, now for my personal financial one." London said as she sat back and took her daily edition of the Boston Globe off the desk and began thumbing through it.

"What is it?" Sandrine asked.

"Well, my financial advisor thinks that I need to diversify, invest in something to produce another revenue stream. And well I don't know what I want to do." London said.

"Well, did you check the business section of the paper? You might get an idea from there." Sandrine said.

"Yeah, I've been looking." London said as she plopped the paper down on the desk, opening the business section that she had plucked out. Sandrine picked up the paper and began leafing through it before stopping on one particular section.

"Here's a way you can diversify your portfolio and do something for the community at the same time." Sandrine said as she plucked out the section that she was looking at and held it up for London to see.

London's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "That is an incredible idea." London said with wonder in her voice. "Call Eric Vincent, my financial advisor and tell him courier my full financial profile over to Collier, Beckett ASAP. I've got to call Maddie." London said. Sandrine shot out of the office to follow her instructions as London dialed Maddie's office.

"_Collier, Beck…"_

"Can you get me a meeting with Ray and Jim today? It's important. Huge idea." London said.

"_I'll see what his schedule is like. What's going on?" _Maddie asked.

"I'll tell you when I get there. Love you." London said.

"_Love you too."_

Later that day in the Collier Beckett conference room, London, along with Sandrine, had just told Ray, Jim, Sandrine and Maddie what her grand idea was. The looks on their faces were of stunned disbelief. Jim Beckett scratched his head and chuckled as he was the first to speak.

"Lemme get this straight." Jim said. "You want to buy… the Boston Celtics?"

"That's right. I want to buy the Celtics and operate the team as their sole owner." London said.

"Do you even know anything about basketball?" Jim asked mockingly.

"I didn't know anything about business and I educated myself and now look at the direction Tipton International is headed." London said.

"You realize that the pro sports model is an entirely different business model than a normal business." Ray said.

"That's why I am seeking your advice before I do this." London said.

"I've seen that look before." Maddie said. "She can do this if she really wants it. Do you really want this?" London looked Maddie dead in the eyes and gave her the look that she gave her on the dance floor eleven months earlier. "She wants this… bad."

"You're gonna need as much as half a billion dollars to do this." Jim said.

"Aww, man! And I left my food stamp coupon book at home!" London snapped sarcastically. "If I couldn't pay, I wouldn't want to play. I could buy the team fifty-two times if I wanted to."

"That attitude is gonna win us an NBA championship!" Ray said with an air of excitement in his voice, being a lifelong Celtics fan. "I'll call Randy right now and tell him that she's gonna make an offer in the morning!"

London looked over at Maddie. "Baby, you're about to become first lady of the Boston Celtics."

Just over a month later…

* * *

**Monday, April 9, 2018 – 11 am – Media room of the TD BankNorth Garden**

"Good morning. I am Scott McCormick, Vice President of Media Relations for the Boston Celtics." The tall, nattily attired man began. "It is my honor to stand before you today to usher in a new, historic day in the history of this proud organization. For seventy-two years, the Boston Celtics have been the standard bearer for excellence in the National Basketball Association, with sixteen NBA championships, more than any other team in NBA history. And speaking of history, the Celtic organization is about to make it again today. For the first time in the history of the National Basketball Association, a woman will preside over one of its franchises… the Boston Celtics. So, without further adieu, I would like to introduce the new owner of the Boston Celtics, Ms. London Tipton."

A standing ovation was given to London as she stepped up onto the podium. In the spirit of the day, she was decked out in a Kelly green dress suit with matching heels. She adorned the jacket with a small Boston Celtics pin. Maddie, Sandrine, Ray Collier and Jim Beckett sat in the front row smiling and applauding her as she looked out at the assembled media.

"Thank you." London began. "I know that some of you, perhaps many of you out there are wondering why I, of all people are doing this. It's very simple. The city of Boston deserves an NBA champion and I am going to do everything I can to make sure that happens sooner than later." She was interrupted by applause. "I stand before you as the champion of people who have been told that they were too dumb, too young, too old or not good enough to do something. The Celtics have been told for years that they didn't have the talent, the toughness or the organizational commitment to win it all. Well I've got news for you… those days are over. In the words of President Harry Truman, the buck stops here. And, for what I hope is many more Junes to come, the Larry O'Brien Trophy will stop here too." London said, energizing the applauding crowd in front of her.

"I don't have all the answers. That's why I am going to evaluate the staff that is in place and make sure that we have the best staff in place going forward. I'm not the biggest basketball fan in the world, but I will be. No sense in owning something that you know nothing about. And last but not least, this is not about me. This is about the people of Boston, Massachusetts. Boston has been my home for all but seven years of my life. I love this place…" London paused to look directly at Maddie when she added, "and the people here." London then looked back up at the crowd. "And as a sign of good faith, I have decided to give something back immediately to the people of Celtic Nation."

London motioned off stage and had a covered easel brought on to the stage and placed next to her. "Along with my purchase of the team and this building, my company, Tipton International, has purchased the naming rights to the arena. But the Tipton name will not be going up on the building. Instead, starting next season, the name that is going up on the building is the only name that the home of the Celtics should have ever had." With that, the cover was pulled off of the easel to reveal a placard with two words in bold Kelly green letters, "BOSTON GARDEN".

A thunderous applause and cheer went up inside the media room. She had done it. London Tipton had wowed a roomful of men yet again. Flash bulbs snapped at a blistering clip as she stood proudly in front of the world as the newest NBA owner. Maddie beamed as she watched her woman conquer yet another piece of the world. London looked at her and winked before taking questions.

When the press conference concluded, London went behind the curtain and was immediately mobbed by Maddie and Sandrine.

"You are the most amazing woman I have ever met." Maddie said, planting a big kiss on London.

"Make sure you thank Sandrine too. This was kind of her idea." London said.

"I didn't have 455 million dollars to make it happen." Sandrine said. She then looked at her watch. "We've go to get back to the office. You have a round of radio interviews to do and then you've got to get over Channel 5 for a live shot."

"I'll be working late at the office so just call me." Maddie said. "I love you."

"Love you too." London said before heading toward the exit.

* * *

**Monday, April 9, 2018 – 9 pm – Maddie's office**

Maddie sat at her new desk in her new office illuminated by only a single desk lamp. She was in the middle of reviewing the Banknorth Plaza portfolio that she had been reviewing for the last two hours. She was getting close to the end of her rope when her office phone rang.

"Collier, Beckett, Fitzpatrick. Maddie Fitzpatrick."

"_My poor baby. How long are you gonna be there?" _London asked sweetly.

"Not too much longer. This project is a bear." Maddie said with a sigh.

"_Well don't worry. Soon you'll be safe and warm in my arms and you won't have to worry about that project." _London said.

"That sounds like heaven on earth." Maddie said. "Too bad you're not here right now. I'm the only one here. We could do some naughty things in this office." Maddie then heard the other end of the line click. "London? London? Damn cell phones." Maddie muttered to herself.

"I know, right? Damn cell phones." Maddie looked up from the desk to see London standing at her office door. Maddie smiled and looked at London.

"A sight for sore, tired eyes." Maddie said. "You ready to take me home?"

"I'm ready to take you. But not home." London purred before opening her trench coat to reveal that she was wearing nothing but a pair of black thigh high stockings and four-inch black stiletto heels.

"Ho… lee… shit." Maddie eked out in quiet awe.

"I take it you like what you see." London purred again as she closed and locked the door behind her.

"Definitely." Maddie growled.

London began walking over toward the desk. She stood in front of the desk and dramatically dropped the coat to the floor before walking around in front of Maddie, who had swiveled to the side.

"Now what was that you said about doing naughty things in this office?" London asked sexily.

"Come here and I'll show you." Maddie purred lustily.

London climbed onto Maddie's lap straddling her. She reached out to cup the blonde beauty's face before passionately kissing her. Maddie reached around and forcefully grabbed London's buttocks, pulling her closer as they kissed. Heavy breathing, whimpered moans and the movement of two bodies in a huge leather chair were all that could be heard in the still of the office night.

Maddie swiveled the chair around to face the desk, putting the small of London's back in front of the edge. As they continued their frantically passionate kissing, Maddie attempted to unbutton her blouse when she received a stunning request from her lover.

"No no no. Keep your clothes on." A very naked London breathlessly said in between kisses. She then said in the lowest, sexiest voice she had, "I want you to fuck me just like this." Maddie stood and moved London to the side, feverishly clearing a spot on her desktop before putting her hands on London's waist and quickly guiding her, sitting her on the edge of the desk. Maddie then slid her right hand down to London's center allowing London to automatically part her legs for access.

"You're so fucking wet." Maddie growled as she maneuvered her fingers along the slick folds of London's femininity. London responded to Maddie's comment by putting her hand on top of Maddie's and pressing against Maddie's two middle fingers. The blonde attorney took the hint and did as she was instructed to do, quickly sliding two fingers inside London to the hilt.

London's butt lifted off the desk as she braced herself, threw her head back and cried out. "AAAAHHHH SHIT!" When her head came forward, she met Maddie's gaze with a look of pleasant shock. Her mouth and eyes were wide open as she came to terms with the powerful surge that shot through her body with Maddie's first stroke. "More. Harder. Faster. Fuck me." London breathlessly panted. Maddie repeated her first stroke with the same intensity and continued over and over again as London cried out. This was by far the most raw and libidinous of their encounters in the near year that they had been together.

Several minutes passed as Maddie nipped at London's neck, sucked each nipple with an insatiable hunger, running her hands through London's hair, cupping her face as London's body bucked in front of her. London's head twisted, her neck contorted so her mouth could reach the tantalizingly delicious fingers that swept across her lips.

London's body was on fire as she was being ravaged by her lover in a way that was so primal and animalistic yet loving because of who was doing it. At one point she grabbed two handfuls of Maddie's hair, pulling her closer as she kissed her. Just before London's body reached its point of no return, London turned the tables on Maddie and reached for the buttons on her blouse. She deftly extracted every button out of every hole before removing the article of clothing almost violently.

She removed Maddie's fingers from her as she stood up, continuing to passionately kiss Maddie as she reached around to unzip her skirt. As she did that, Maddie made quick work of her bra. Seconds later, panties joined the pile of Maddie's clothes now on the floor. London then spun Maddie around, pressing her backside against the desk. London feverishly moved from lips to neck to each breast with Maddie moaning her approval at each stop. London placed her palm in the middle of Maddie's chest slowly pushing her back flat to the desk. Maddie quivered as her dark haired lover trailed kisses down the midline of her body, past her navel and continuing southward.

There was no pause in her travels as she descended upon Maddie's clit and began a round of alternate flicking and sucking that drove Maddie insane with pleasure. "OH GOD YES LONDON! YES BABY!" Maddie's heart pounded inside her chest, her breathing was labored as she lay on her desk. London was bringing her closer and closer to orgasm with each flick of her tongue. Then London paused ever so briefly to say something that would take Maddie over the edge.

"Just let it all go for me, baby." London purred in the most devastatingly sexy voice Maddie had ever heard. When London dipped her head again, making contact with her center, Maddie did indeed let go, letting out a cry from the deepest reaches of her belly as she climaxed. London had barely enough time to enjoy lapping the warm fluid, the fruit of Maddie's orgasm, when she heard the sound of an approaching storm.

"Ahh… ahh… ahh…" Maddie panted, chest heaving, before gaining her second wind. "Aww shit!" Maddie sat straight up on the desk and seized London in a knee-bucking kiss, sliding off the desk and overwhelming her lover. She began backing London up toward the leather sofa near the door as they continued to kiss.

She lightly pushed London, sending her backwards, back flat on the sofa. Maddie lay on top of London and deeply kissed her stomach causing London to lift her head and look down at Maddie.

"Oh my God, what are you doing to me?" London passionately cried out with a look of aroused bewilderment on her face.

"This." Maddie replied as she lowered her head and began lapping at London's center.

London screwed her eyes shut as she squirmed on the sofa, tossing her head from side to side. "Maddie…" London squeezed out like she was bearing down before letting it out. "FUCK!" London then took in a huge gulp of air before crying out again. For several more minutes, London danced on the edge as Maddie would bring her to the point of release and then back down again. On the third trip back to the mountaintop, however, London finally reached the summit, signaling her arrival with an erotic guttural scream that bounced off the walls of Maddie's near cavernous office.

As they lay on the sofa, spent from their passion-filled session, Maddie smiled. London looked down at Maddie resting her head on London's stomach.

"I have got to work late more often." Maddie said earning a laugh from London.

"Just remember, I have an office too." London said.

"I know, Tipton. I know." Maddie said impishly.

"That was incredible." London said.

"You were incredible." Maddie said.

"We are incredible." London said.

"Our one-year anniversary is Thursday. What do you want to do?" Maddie said.

"I've got that taken care of. All you have to do is leave work at two." London said.

"I think I can do that." Maddie said.

"Let's get dressed and get going." London said. "By the time we get home, I'll be ready for round three."

"Round three? That'll only be round two!" Maddie exclaimed.

"It's a long elevator ride from the twenty-seventh floor to the garage." London said with a fire returning to her eyes. Maddie took one look into London's eyes and hopped up off the sofa to scramble for her clothes.

Both Maddie and London hurried to put their clothes back on as Maddie exclaimed, "Oh… man! I hope they don't have security cameras on that elevator!"

* * *

**Chapter three is in the books. How am I doing so far? I hope you enjoyed their little office rendezvous. There are more good times ahead. London and Maddie's one year anniversary is next. I wonder what they got each other. Let's all find out together. But first… PLEASE REVIEW.**


	4. Our Lady of Perpetual Obsession

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**Author's Note: Counting all of my stories, this is the 154th chapter I've written and the title of this chapter is one of my favorites, **_**Our Lady of Perpetual Obsession. **_**If ever a title fit a character in one of my stories, this one would fit one of the characters below. **

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**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 4**_

**Our Lady of Perpetual Obsession**

**Wednesday, April 11, 2018 – 6:30 a.m. - Chelsea, Massachusetts**

The exotic dark haired beauty shuffled into the modest yet spacious bathroom to brush her teeth at the sink, recently vacated by her beautiful African-American lover. Shorter by a half and inch, the dark-skinned woman was more voluptuous than her partner, although the other woman's curves were not to be discounted.

"Hi baby." The dark skinned woman said softly with a smile on her lips. The other woman smiled a toothless smile before placing a bead of toothpaste onto her brush, beginning her morning routine. After pausing to look at her lover for a moment, the dark-skinned woman spoke again. "I know you're excited." She said as she walked over to the tub, turning the faucet on as a prelude to starting the shower.

The other woman finished brushing and wiping her mouth before replying. "What do you mean?"

"What do I mean? You had THE biggest crush on London Tipton in school and now she's our boss." The ebony beauty said. "Old crushes die hard."

"Whatever. I recall you having a little thing for Maddie when we were in school." The stunning brunette replied.

"Corrine Elizabeth Buckingham! I DID NOT have a crush on Maddie Fitzpatrick!"

"Mary-Margaret Alicia Buchanan! You most certainly did! You couldn't wait for volleyball season so you could watch her tight little ass in those spandex shorts!"

"You're full of shit, Corrie." Mary-Margaret said flatly. "Wait. How did you know her ass was tight unless you were looking at it too?"

"I might have had a thing for London, but I wasn't blind." Corrie said with a smirk. "But you know what? That's all in the past now. Because I… have THE…" Corrie began moving toward Mary-Margaret. "… sexiest… hottest… thickest woman in the greater Boston area. Hell, all of Massachusetts." Corrie said as she slipped her arms around Mary-Margaret's waist.

"You forgot all of New England, United States and the entire world." Mary-Margaret playfully purred.

"That belongs to me." Corrie said with a playful smile as they stood nose-to-nose in each others embrace.

"Is that right?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"That's right." Corrie purred before placing a soft kiss on Mary-Margaret's lips.

"You know… if you want to sleep with her…" Mary-Margaret began as Corrie wiggled out of her embrace, rolling her eyes and backing away, visibly irritated with the direction the conversation was headed. "… and get it out of your system… I'll understand."

"Emme, don't start this again." Corrie said in exasperation. "Look. First of all, she is in a committed relationship with Maddie. I mean, they are like lesbian royalty in New England. Second of all, it was a Catholic schoolgirl crush. She thought I was some dizzy air headed, psycho-stalker freak. And third, I am with… you… a woman that I love and respect…"

"And that you are in an open relationship with… and that's okay." Mary-Margaret said.

"Emme, I haven't slept with anybody else in, like, six months! And I don't plan on doing it anytime soon!" Corrie said.

"I don't plan on it either. I mean it's been six… eight months for me too." Mary-Margaret assured. "But I'm just letting you know that I'm not gonna stand in your way if you do. I mean, London is your white whale, Ahab." She added, making reference to Captain Ahab's obsessive quest to capture Moby Dick.

"White whale." Corrie disdainfully spat. "Whose full of shit now?"

"Still you." Mary-Margaret chirped playfully, trying to lighten the mood.

"Still me, huh?" Corrie asked, biting her bottom lip. "Let's see how full of shit I really am." Corrie said as she walked back over to Mary-Margaret, seizing her by the waist and spinning around quickly.

"What… are you doing?" Mary-Margaret asked with surprise in her voice.

"Showing you how full of shit I'm not." Corrie growled as she backed Mary-Margaret into the bathroom door with a loud thud, causing a brief moan to escape her lips. Corrie then attached her lips to Mary-Margaret's neck.

"We… we don't… have… time." Mary-Margaret stammered. Corrie knew how to quickly overload her circuits. "We… have to… get ready… for work."

Corrie lifted her head just far enough to speak. "There's always time for a morning quickie." Corrie then punctuated her statement by reaching underneath Mary-Margaret's robe and pressing her fingers into her center.

"HOLY SHIT!" Mary-Margaret cried out as a surge of pleasure shot through her body, almost buckling her knees.

Corrie lifted her head, once again coming nose-to-nose with her morning lover. "You're gonna have to say ten Hail Mary's for that one."

"Fuck you." Mary-Margaret whisper-spat, knowing that Corrie liked a little verbal roughness.

"We'll get to me in a minute. But first…" Corrie took Mary-Margaret's arms and placed them above her head, bringing both of her hands together as she held them with her left hand while undoing Mary-Margaret's robe with her right. She then dipped her head down to take one of the chocolate nipples into her mouth, sucking deeply and causing her lover to cry out again. The cries of passion intensified when she began stroking the darker woman's center again.

Mary-Margaret's head fell to one side as she panted and whimpered her approval of Corrie's skillful manipulation of her body. She began rolling her hips to the rhythm of Corrie's fingering. "Oh… my God!" Mary-Margaret bellowed from the pit of her stomach as she moved closer to her release.

"It's a good thing Catholic school taught you to call his name." Corrie purred.

"Shut… up and make me come." Mary-Margaret growled passionately to the delight of Corrie's ears.

Corrie flashed an evil grin and ratcheted up her intensity as her fingers glided effortlessly over Mary-Margaret's femininity, her fingers finally finding a home inside as she furiously worked to bring Mary-Margaret the climax she had demanded. Moments later, Corrie had achieved what she set out to accomplish as the dark-skinned woman's body shook, the orgasm reaching every synapse, every nerve ending imaginable. Corrie again flashed her devastatingly sexy grin as she placed her fingers in her mouth, savoring the sweet nectar that was the spoil of her "victory".

Mary-Margaret stood, still pinned against the bathroom door catching her breath, and began to chuckle. "You know you're a dead woman, right?"

"I face my death…" Corrie said as she dropped her robe at her feet and in feline-like fashion, slid herself up into a seated position on the edge of the sink. "… with a smile on my face… and lust in my heart. Now kiss me." Corrie said, leaning back against the mirror and tapping her center.

"What? No foreplay?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"Foreplay? Fuck foreplay. That WAS foreplay. You'll find out soon enough." Corrie purred, referring to her state of arousal and the accompanying wetness. She was on her sexual game that morning. Mary-Margaret raised an eyebrow along with flashing her trademark sexy smirk before swooping in on Corrie with the same intensity that she experienced moments earlier.

"GOD… DAMN!" Corrie bellowed as her eyes rolled back into her head.

"You're gonna have to say ten Hail Mary's for that one." Mary-Margaret quipped, echoing Corrie's smart aleck comment from earlier.

Corrie chuckled sexily. "Cute. Very cute." She managed to eke out before Mary-Margaret swept her tongue across her clit, causing her to white-knuckle grip the sink's edge as she cried out. For the next couple of minutes, Mary-Margaret worked to bring Corrie's rapid boil to overflowing. Steam from the shower built up in the bathroom as well as the passion.

Mary-Margaret suddenly stopped and snatched Corrie off the sink and sat down on the toilet lid, bringing Corrie down on top of her as she thrust two fingers inside the beauty of mixed descent. Corrie continued to cry out as she threw her hands around Mary-Margaret's neck and held on for dear life as she rode her lover. Sweat rolled down both of their faces, the curls in their hair limply falling in the humidity of the room as they furiously kissed. Just after Mary-Margaret pressed her lips to Corrie's neck, Corrie's body finally gave in and released the sexual tension that had been bubbling beneath her surface.

After a minute of the two ladies gazing at each other in a game of post-coital chicken, Corrie blinked and lightly rubbed noses with Mary-Margaret. "Now…" Corrie said. "We can get ready for work."

"Damn. That was better than a cup of coffee." Mary-Margaret said causing them both to laugh.

"Just call me your little five-hour energy boost." Corrie said.

"What do we do five hours from now when I start to slow down?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"Just wear that black, pinstripe suit I like. I'll take care of the rest." Corrie purred.

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**Wednesday, April 11, 2018 – 9:00 a.m. – Boston Celtics corporate offices – Boston**

London stepped out of her new fourth floor corner office at the Celtics' Causeway Street corporate offices. Five steps outside of her office, she met up with the Celtics Director of Sales and Marketing Operations, Christina Andrews, who was going to introduce her to the staff and run part of the staff meeting.

"Christina, I'm nervous. I don't think they'll like me. I'm not a basketball person." London said.

"London, you're not meeting with basketball operations people. These are marketing and community relations people. You know marketing and community relations. We've gone over all that you want to accomplish. Just relax and be you. You've shown that you can win over a crowd. My staff is no different. You'll be fine." Christina said just before they reached the door of the large meeting room. "We're still a little early."

"That's okay. I can mingle with whoever's here." London said, taking the opportunity to mingle in the ten minutes before the start of the meeting. "Come on. My public awaits."

Christina and London walked in to see that about half of the staff was assembled. London began to introduce herself to the staff members and chat with them. As she walked around, two male members of the staff sat together, intently watching London work the room just as Corrie and Mary-Margaret walked in, unbeknownst to London.

"Uhh. I've wanted to fuck them since the day they started." The one guy whispered to his friend.

"Well that's not gonna happen." The second guy whispered back. "Word has it that she and Mary-Margaret…"

"Dude. Don't even finish that sentence." Guy number one said. "Are you serious? So you mean not only do we have the queen of the dykes as our new boss, but now you tell me that two of the hottest women in this hellhole are her minions?"

"I prefer… loyal subjects." The alluring, yet icy voice of Corrie Buckingham said from behind them as she and Mary-Margaret sat down.

"How… about… members of Her Highness' High Dyke Court." The equally sexy/icy voice of Mary-Margaret Buchanan said. Both men froze in their seats with a deer-in-the-headlights look. Just as they were about to respond, London came to within speaking range.

"Hi. London Tipton." London introduced herself to the two men.

"Jim… Porter."

"Tom McGinty."

"Pleasure to meet you." London said as she shook their hands. Just as she released Tom's hand, she focused for the first time on the two women sitting behind them.

"Oh… my… God!" London softly exclaimed. "Corrie? Mary-Margaret?"

"Great. Figures." Jim said to Tom.

"What was that?" London asked.

"It's… uhh… what I meant was… " Jim stammered.

"It's… just his luck that we know you. The previous general manager is a family friend and Jim… thinks we're gonna get special treatment." Corrie said, fashioning a quick lie.

"Well…" London said. "Come here! You two look great!" London said, pulling Mary-Margaret into a hug. Corrie looked at Jim and Tom and mouthed, "You owe me.", to which they nodded in agreement. After releasing the hug, London stepped forward to embrace Corrie. As they embraced, Corrie closed her eyes and inhaled London's scent. Mary-Margaret looked directly into Corrie's eyes as she opened them and there she saw it. She saw the same far-off sparkle in her eyes that she had when they were in school. "WOW!" London exclaimed. "It's Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow all over again!"

Mary-Margaret looked at London and flashed a small, slightly pained smile before responding. "Yeah. All over again." She then looked back at Corrie who had an ear-to-ear smile plastered on her face.

After the meeting concluded, London finished saying her goodbyes to other members of the staff as Mary-Margaret and Corrie looked on.

"You know, they said in that 60 Minutes interview that London had changed, and sitting here listening to her… damn. She's amazing." Corrie gushed.

Inside, Mary-Margaret fumed. Ever since the day she fell in love with Corrie, she dreaded this day. She dreaded the day that they ran into London Tipton. She knew that London Tipton was Corrie's one weakness. She knew that despite their "open" relationship, London would be THE ONE that would keep Corrie from refocusing on her the day after the night of. She didn't dislike London. She felt threatened by her presence. Inside, Mary-Margaret fumed because she let Corrie talk her into having an open relationship when what she wanted was to be exclusive. She loved Corrie's energy, her spirit, her sensuality and her raw sexual energy. She was in love with Corrie and wanted her all to herself. It was this jumble of emotions that caused her to react to Corrie in, what was for her, uncharacteristically dominant fashion.

"Corrie!" Mary-Margaret whisper-yelled in a way that made Corrie snap her head around in shock. "I went through this once as your best friend. I am not ABOUT to do this again as your woman. Just FUCK her and get it over with so we can move on with our lives!"

Corrie sat there with her mouth agape. Mary-Margaret had never forcefully made her feelings known to her in the way she had just done and it rendered Corrie speechless. However, before Corrie could respond, London made her way over to them.

"Guys, I have another meeting to go to, but you have got to come over for dinner tonight. I'm making roasted, boneless chicken breasts." London said.

"You… cook?" Mary-Margaret said snapping back to herself. "In Home Ec, you couldn't boil water."

"Seven months ago I couldn't crack an egg, but Miley taught me." London said.

"That's right! You and Maddie were in that restaurant with her when she proposed!" Corrie said. "She taught you how to cook?"

"I'm no four-star gourmet, but… I know how to satisfy the appetite." London joked.

"I bet you do." Corrie said with her devilish grin. Mary-Margaret was not amused and only flashed a put-on smile when London looked at her.

"How's seven-thirty sound?" London said.

"Sounds like we'll see you at seven-thirty." Mary-Margaret said, willing to go because she hadn't seen Corrie that happy in months.

"Great." London pulled out a business card and scribbled her address on the back. "We'll see you then. Gotta run. Bye." London took Mary-Margaret by the shoulders and kissed both cheeks before sliding over and doing the same to Corrie.

The two women stood and watched as London left the meeting room with diametrically opposite thoughts going through their heads. Corrie then looked over at Mary-Margaret with a huge grin on her face and shrugged her shoulders. Mary-Margaret looked as if she could spit nails as she took in the expression on Corrie's face. It was in that moment that her tongue overruled her head as she could take Corrie's shit-eating grin no more.

"God! Sometimes you make me sick." Mary-Margaret spat as she walked off in a huff, leaving Corrie standing in the middle of the meeting room to contemplate the two warring emotions inside her – the wave of guilt that washed over her as she realized that Mary-Margaret was right about her reaction to being in London's presence again and the giddy feeling of the renewed hope that she might have another opportunity to land her white whale. Ahab, indeed.

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**Wednesday, April 11, 2018 – 7:10 p.m. – London's condo– Boston**

"Corrie Buckingham, huh?" Maddie said to London as she kicked her heels off and plopped herself down on the sofa rubbing her feet. "She had the most psychotic crush on you in school."

London walked over to Maddie from the kitchen with a glass of Beaujolais and handed it to her. "And the affection was not returned."

"Yeah but that was London Tipton, B.C.O…" Maddie started.

"B.C.O.?" London asked.

"Before Coming Out." Maddie explained before taking a sip of her wine. "But now, you are an icon in the Boston lesbian community and she could have her cross-hairs on you."

"For all we know, she could be married with three kids right now." London reasoned. "Come on, Blondie! It's been ten, twelve years since I've seen her. And anyway, you're not the one that has something to worry about."

"What does that supposed to mean?" Maddie asked incredulously.

"Mary-Margaret had the hots for you back in the day." London said in a low, knowing tone.

"Bullshit!" Maddie exclaimed with an amused chuckle. "Contrary to popular belief and to the chagrin of many testosterone-filled fantasies, not every girl that goes to an all-girls Catholic school is a lesbian. I mean we weren't when we went there!"

"Maddie, you mean to tell me that you didn't notice her staring at you when you were on the volleyball court?" London asked.

"No. And you shouldn't have either considering the fact that you were playing!" Maddie reminded her.

"Nevertheless, I caught her once or twice checkin' you out." London said.

"And you never said anything?" Maddie asked.

"I was checkin' you out too. Telling you would have hit a little too close to home. And I wasn't ready to tell you then." London said.

"Well I'm glad that you did WHEN you did cause I don't know if you would have been as good in bed back then." Maddie said as she took a quick swig of wine and gave London a peck on the lips before standing up and heading to the bedroom to change.

"I would have been amazing! I'd have made you hit that high C!" London joked.

"Okay Stifler!" Maddie shouted from the bedroom, referencing London's "high C" joke and the character from American Pie that said it. "Just finish dinner! And don't overcook the breasts! I like 'em juicy!" London had a smirk on her face and was about to respond when Maddie yelled, "Shut up! Don't even go there!" London simply laughed and went back into the kitchen to finish dinner.

Around 7:20, Corrie and Mary-Margaret arrived at London and Maddie's building. Corrie was still apologizing profusely to Mary-Margaret, who had barely spoken five sentences to her since the end of the staff meeting.

"Emme, please! I'm so sorry! I don't know what gets into me around her. I was completely wrong to do that to you and I apologize from the bottom of my heart. Please forgive me… Please?" Corrie said, adding her cute, puppy dog pout at the end. Mary-Margaret was still unimpressed. "What do you want me to do? I'll do anything to make it up to you. Just name it."

"More gravelling would be good." Mary-Margaret grumbled.

"Okay! I will gravel at your feet. I will hand wash your stockings, I will… suck your toes after you've walked through… a field of… cow patties, I will…" Mary-Margaret began laughing after Corrie's last declaration.

"Okay, ewww on the cow patty thing." Mary-Margaret said laughing. Corrie looked at her with a relieved look on her face. Mary-Margaret's smile slowly diminished until it disappeared and a serious look replaced it. "Tell me you love me."

Corrie looked at her for a second then half-chuckled. "I love you." She said, but not convincingly enough for Mary-Margaret.

"I'm serious." Mary-Margaret said. "Tell me you love me."

Corrie was taken aback. "I… just told you that I love you." Corrie then leaned back slightly as if to take in Mary-Margaret more fully. "What?"

"It's just…" Mary-Margaret started to speak what was on her mind but decided not to. "You know what?" She glanced at her watch. "We're gonna be late. Come on." She went to get out of the car.

"Emme." Corrie placed a hand on Mary-Margaret's arm. "What's wrong?"

Mary-Margaret tried to be reassuring. "Nothing! Now come on! The fabulous London Tipton and her beloved await!" She then leaned back over and placed a kiss on Corrie's lips. "Come on."

Inside the apartment, London was putting the finishing touches on the table.

"Tres magnifique!" London softly exclaimed to herself as Maddie emerged from the bedroom.

"Wow! The table looks great! You know, you are becoming a domestic goddess." Maddie said with a smile.

"The goddess part I've got down cold. The domestic part, ehhhh. I'm workin' on it." London replied just as the door bell rang. "Grab the wine and put it on the table. I'll get it."

London walked over to the door and opened it. "You made it!" She said, embracing her two guests.

"Here we are!" Mary-Margaret said in her cheeriest voice, determined to make the evening a good one.

Corrie looked around at all of the trappings of Casa de Tipton before looking at London and answering on her own with her trademark smile. "Corrie's in the house!"

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**So the last line is a tongue in cheek reference to Cory In the House. I absolutely could not resist the cheesy symmetry of the line. But as promised, Corrie and Mary-Margaret have arrived on the scene and have a wee bit of dysfunction to work through. What do you think? I think things are gonna get a little interesting. Come back and find out what happens next! But first… I came up with a new poll question regarding what Mary-Margaret should do about her Corrie situation. So check out the poll and help me out. But before you do… PLEASE REVIEW.**


	5. Laying the Groundwork

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**Author's Note: Long chapter. Just a heads up. **

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**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 5**_

**Laying the Groundwork**

Maddie, Corrie and Mary-Margaret sat at the table awaiting the culinary delights of London Tipton. For someone to even contemplate that sentence months earlier would have been absurd, and yet there they were anticipating a meal that London had prepared herself.

"Here we go! Roasted chicken breast along with roasted potatoes and the asparagus with hollandaise sauce is on the way." London said as she sat the platter of chicken breasts and bowl of potatoes on the table.

"You need any help?" Maddie asked.

"No. I got it. Entertain our guests." London said before blowing an air kiss to Maddie.

"This is really a wonderful place you two have here. It is so cozy." Mary-Margaret said with a smile.

"Thanks. But technically this is London's place. My apartment is downstairs." Maddie said.

"I'm sorry. I just assumed…" Mary-Margaret started.

"Actually, London and I are going house hunting pretty soon. We're gonna buy a place outside the city." Maddie beamed.

"That's wonderful!" Corrie interjected. "I know you're excited."

"I am. I'll get to live in my dream home, with my dream girl. What more can a woman ask for." Maddie said. Corrie and Mary-Margaret smiled in agreement. "But what about you two? How have you been doing? It's been, what, ten, twelve years since we've seen you! So… both of you… what's his name? Because I know that you two hotties are not walking around this city by yourselves."

"Actually…" Mary-Margaret began. "HE is Corrie. The two of us are together."

"No way!" Maddie exclaimed. "Are you serious? London!"

"I heard every word." London said as she brought the asparagus and hollandaise sauce to the table, giving the spread a once over before sitting down. "Sounds like we went to Our Lady of Future Lesbians, huh?" London added, earning laughs from around the table. "So how long have you two been together?"

"Off and on… for… about two years now." Corrie answered.

"Ahh. Make up to break up, huh?" Maddie said.

"Not really. Emme and I have an… open… relationship." Corrie threw out, leaving in hanging ambiguously in the air for digestion.

"Open… relationship." Maddie replied. "So you two aren't exclusive?" Mary-Margaret swallowed the lump of rising bile she felt in her throat as the words "open relationship" and "exclusive" hit her eardrums.

"We date whomever we want, but we always come back home to each other." Corrie chirped confidently, swiveling her head back and forth between Maddie and London, purposely trying not to linger on either one for too long.

"Wow." London remarked. "I don't know if I could handle that. The thought of Blondie hookin' up with someone would drive me up the wall."

"Aww! Blondie. That's so cute!" Corrie said before turning to Maddie. "What's your nickname for London?"

"Princess." Maddie said. "I used to call her that in high school to make fun of her, but now, she is my princess." Maddie said with a warm look. While cool on the outside, Mary-Margaret was growing uncomfortable seeing the loving warmth between London and Maddie, not feeling that same vibe in her own relationship with Corrie.

London captured Maddie's gaze briefly with one of her own before making an announcement. "Tomorrow is our one year anniversary."

Mary-Margaret made a quick recovery from her feelings. "Congratulations! That is great! Corr, we've got to get them something." She said, turning to Corrie.

"Absolutely." Corrie said. "But what do you get a billionaire and a successful attorney that they don't already have?"

"You know what?" Maddie said. "You already have given us something… companionship. Our best friends live in New York and Nashville. We really don't have any couples friends here in Boston."

"Well you do now." Corrie said with a smile. She then raised her wine glass to signify a toast. "A toast… to rekindled friendships and lasting relationships." The other three women raised their glasses and clinked them together before taking a sip. Mary-Margaret imperceptibly cut her eyes at Corrie, wondering if she was up to something before taking a slightly larger swig of wine.

"So your best friends are that designer and her wife and the country singer and her fiancée. Right?" Mary-Margaret said, forgetting their names.

"Yeah." London said. "Raven and Chelsea live in New York…"

"Raven. That's her name. I knew it was something unique." Mary-Margaret said.

"And Miley and Lilly live in Nashville. But they got married on New Year's Eve." London said. "It was small ceremony. Just her dad, brother, grandmother, aunt and the four of us. They're planning a big ceremony for the summer."

"You two ever thought about tying the knot?" Corrie asked as she smiled and bit her bottom lip in anticipation.

"I… might have given it a passing thought or two." London said without looking at Maddie.

"Maddie?" Corrie said.

"The thought… may have crossed my mind too." Maddie answered, flashing Corrie an almost imperceptible wink.

"Well all I know is that you two are made for each other." Mary-Margaret interjected.

"I agree." London said. "And this food was made for eating, so let's dig in before it gets cold." The ladies unanimously agreed and dug in.

As everyone began eating Corrie glanced at each of them as if she were attempting to read them. As she turned her fork over and pierced her chicken breast to cut it, she had a thought go through her mind that made her visibly smile. _"We really don't have any couples friends here in Boston." _Corrie said to herself, echoing Maddie's words. _"Careful for what you wish for, Blondie. You might just get it." _Just then, Mary-Margaret looked over at Corrie and her self-indulgent smile.

"What are you smiling about?" Mary-Margaret said playfully but in her mind the question was deadly serious.

"Nothing." Corrie said. "Just glad we reconnected with some old friends. That's all." Corrie punctuated her statement with her disarming smile that Mary-Margaret returned; only Corrie's smile didn't disarm Mary-Margaret at all.

"_I know what you're up to." _Mary-Margaret thought._ "I'll be damned if you're gonna play me like that." _

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**Thursday, April 12, 2018 – 9:30 am - London's Tipton International office**

London was nervously tapping her stiletto-heeled foot on the chair pad underneath her as she waited for Rich Anderson's Nextel signal to locate him. This was the third time in 45 minutes that London attempted to call her pilot. The knot in her stomach was threatening to double her over when she heard the phone ring on the other end.

"_Good Morning, Rich Anderson."_

"Rich! Where the hell have you been? I've been trying to reach you for the last 45 minutes!" London yelled into the phone.

"_Calm down, Miss Tipton. I was in the shower. How are you this morning?"_ Rich said in a calm voice.

"How can you tell me to be calm? And I'm not fine! Tonight has to be letter perfect. Are you all set?" London asked.

"_The flight plan has been given to the FAA, the plane is being fueled as we speak and I am on my way to the airport now. Everything will be fine on my end. Are you all set?" _Rich asked calmly.

"I guess I am… Yes I am. I'm good." London said. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I'm just nervous."

"_I can understand why. Apology accepted." _Rich said. _"So Miss Fitzpatrick will be leaving the office at two?"_

"I'm picking her up at two so we'll be at the airport by… 2:45."

"_We'll leave at 3:30 and get there by 5, 5:15." _Rich said.

"You are awesome, Rich. Thank you." London said.

"_You're welcome and congratulations." _Rich said.

"Don't congratulate me yet." London replied.

"_Yeah right. Like I believe that's not going to happen." _Rich said sarcastically. _"See you this afternoon."_

"Bye." London replied before hanging up the phone. Just then Sandrine knocked on the door. "Sandy. Come in."

"You look like a nervous wreck." Sandrine said.

"Is it that obvious?" London said.

"It is. Just relax. Everything is taken care of. All you need to do is show up and close the deal." Sandrine said.

"Maybe I wouldn't be so nervous if I had been there before." London said. "I can't believe I've never been to Niagara Falls."

"There are still a few places in the world that the great London Tipton has never been." Sandrine joked.

"Like where?" London asked.

"Paris Hilton's bed for example." Sandrine said.

"Please! I don't have enough health insurance to make that trip!" London shot back before glancing down at her desk and picking up a brochure. "This IS a beautiful restaurant, isn't it?"

"It is." Sandrine said. "Maddie will love it." Seconds later there was a knock on the door.

"Excuse me, London Tipton… delivery from the Ravenesque boutique." The delivery driver said.

London bounded out of her seat and began clapping for joy. "Sandy! Our dresses are here!" London said as she reached into her desk drawer for her purse. After exchanging the boxes for a generous tip to the driver, London quickly opened one box while Sandrine opened the other. "OOOHHHH! These are beautiful! Blondie is going to LOVE THIS!"

"She really is." Sandrine said. "Damn! I should have slept with you when I had the chance. This could be me!" Sandrine joked.

"Between the two of us, I don't know who would have screamed "Merde!" more." London cracked. "But alas, you missed your chance. You're stuck being my friend… longing… wishing… wanting…"

"Gasping for air as I am being squeezed out of the room by your massive ego…" Sandrine fired back jokingly causing London to laugh.

"Very funny, my little French fry. Very funny." London deadpanned. Just then, London's desk phone rang. "Yes Cynthia."London said to the receptionist.

"_Madeline Fitzpatrick on line two."_

"I'll let you take that." Sandrine said. "I'll talk to you before you leave." London smiled and nodded before picking up the phone.

"Why are you calling me on the regular line?" London asked Maddie.

"_Your direct line isn't working." _Maddie responded.

"Oh. Damn Voice Services people." London spat before switching gears. "So… you ready for tonight?"

"_I am." _Maddie purred. _"You still haven't told me where we're going."_

"And I'm not going to until we get there. You'll have to be surprised." London said.

"_Well, I've got a surprise for you too, but you're not getting it until tonight." _Maddie purred

"Okay. I get it. I tease you, you tease me, huh? Reciprocation at it's finest." London said.

"_Remember, you started it." _Maddie said.

"And I'm gonna finish it… tonight… guaranteed." London said confidently.

"_I'm scared of you!" _Maddie said playfully.

"You better be." London said. "I gotta go. Pick you up at two." London said.

"_I'll be waiting. Bye Lover."_

"Bye." London whispered before hanging up the phone. She leaned back in her chair and looked up at the ceiling before declaring to herself, "I'm not nervous anymore. It's go time."

* * *

**Thursday, April 12, 2018 – 1:45 pm – Maddie's office**

"You got everything?" Chloe asked.

"Yes." Maddie said.

"Do you need to go down the checklist?" Chloe asked.

"No. I'm good." Maddie said.

"Nervous?" Chloe asked.

"Hell yes. I have never been more nervous in my life." Maddie answered.

"I know how to alleviate some of your anxiety." Chloe said ominously.

"Don't you dare." Maddie said.

"I'm gonna do it and you're not gonna stop me." Chloe said.

"Chloe Patricia Carpenter." Maddie said.

"Here I go…" Chloe said.

"Good lord." Maddie said as she dropped her head briefly and then lifted it.

Chloe then put a ridiculous blank look on her face and looked Maddie in the eye before exclaiming, "LOOK WHAT I CAN DO!" Chloe then launched into her dead-on physical impersonation of the MadTV character Stewart. Maddie held in her chuckle as Chloe performed. Just as Chloe was getting into the meat of her performance, James Beckett appeared at Maddie's door.

"Chloe, what in the hell are you doing?" Beckett said incredulously.

"Mister Beckett?" Chloe said softly. "LOOK WHAT I CAN DO!" Chloe said before launching into her routine again. Maddie was on the verge of exploding with laughter as Chloe showed no shame in performing like that in front of one of the big boys.

"Oh, I get it. It's that Stewart guy. Very cute Chloe." Beckett said. Now I just wanted to ask Maddie when she was coming back." He was about to step forward when Chloe whined a la Stewart.

"NO!" Chloe whined.

"I just want to find out when…" Beckett attempted to advance again when this time Chloe raised her foot and pushed Beckett away. To their surprise, Beckett actually smirked.

"NO!" Chloe whined again causing Maddie to lose it as she began laughing hysterically. Chloe was the only person at the firm crazy enough to horse around with Beckett and actually get away with it.

Beckett attempted for a third time to get past Chloe, who this time whined, "GET AWAY!", before gently pushing him away again with her foot.

"Maddie, just… shoot me an email." Beckett said as he looked at Maddie then back at Chloe in mock frustration. "I don't know why I don't fire you." Beckett said to Chloe shaking his head before walking away.

"BECAUSE YOU APPRECIATE THE LEVITY I BRING TO THIS STARCH COLLAR OFFICE ENVIRONMENT!" Chloe yelled down the hall to him before turning to Maddie and muttering her punctuation under her breath. "Fucking prick."

For the second time, Maddie exploded in laughter, this time laughing so hard that tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"He…" Maddie tried to say as she was laughing. "Is so… gonna fire you."

"Fuck him. He's scared of me. He thinks I'm crazy. As long as he thinks that and I do my job professionally, he won't touch me." Chloe said before switching to a stereotypical Italian mobster accent. "The rat-bastard."

Maddie continued laughing. "Okay! Stop! I can't breathe!" Just then, Maddie's office phone rang. Chloe went to pick it up.

"Collier, Beckett, Fitzpatrick. Madeline Fitzpatrick's office… okay, I'll tell her. Thank you." Chloe hung up. "London's downstairs. This is it."

Maddie took a deep breath. "All right. Wish me luck."

"You don't need luck. You've got love on your side. Happy Anniversary." Chloe said, stepping forward to embrace Maddie.

"Thanks, Clo." Maddie said before breaking the embrace.

Maddie walked over to her open office door and was about to walk out.

"Maddie!" Chloe called out to Maddie, who turned to face her. "LOOK WHAT I CAN DO!" Chloe jumped like Stewart again causing Maddie to break out into laughter once more as she left to meet her woman. After Maddie was out of sight, Chloe walked over to Maddie's desk and picked up the phone to dial. After a few seconds, she spoke. "Hi, this is Chloe Carpenter over at Collier Beckett Fitzpatrick. I need to place an order for new business cards for Miss Fitzpatrick?... Is she getting another title? You… could say that."

Twenty-five minutes into their limo ride, London had not only still avoided the subject of where they were headed, but she had just blindfolded Maddie to prevent her from seeing where they were going.

"It is only because I love you that I'm letting you do this." Maddie said.

"I know. That's how I know I can get away with it." London said with a smile.

Seeing that they were nearing the airport, London turned the stereo on and turned up the volume.

"AND NOW YOU'RE TRYING TO BLAST MY EARDRUMS OUT?" Maddie screamed over the music.

London sheepishly looked at Maddie and then turned the stereo down. "Sorry."

"Wait. I hear… planes. Are we at the airport?" Maddie asked.

"Never could slip one past you." London said as she removed Maddie's blindfold.

"Oh my god! You're going to whisk me off to some romantic locale for an evening of debauched lovemaking!" Maddie exclaimed.

"Exactly. Debauched lovemaking. That's it." London deadpanned as the limo made its way to the Tipton hangar.

The ladies settled in as London's Gulfstream soared into the clouds for destination unknown… at least for Maddie anyway. Despite the fact that Maddie had been on the luxury jet before, she still sat in her seat with the wide-eyed enthusiasm of a child at the amusement park for the first time. London watched with a sense of reserved inner giddiness as the striking blonde looked out of the window.

"It's amazing to me that about a year ago I sat exactly where you're sitting looking out of that window trying to figure out how I was going to tell you that I was in love with you." London said.

"So this is the answer window?" Maddie asked with a smile.

"Something like that." London chuckled.

"So when do I find out where we're going?" Maddie inquired.

"When Rich tells us we're landing at West BFE International airport." London joked using the initials for "Bum Fuck Egypt", a sarcastic way of saying "out in the middle of nowhere".

"Well then I'm gonna take a nap." Maddie said.

"I'll get Jennifer to grab you a pillow and a blanket." London said.

"Thanks, baby." Maddie said. "You're too good to me." Maddie said before closing her eyes.

"Right back atcha." London whispered to herself.

Roughly an hour and a half later, London gingerly walked over to Maddie and leaned over to kiss her forehead. "Sweetie, wake up. We'll be landing soon."

"Mmm. Five more minutes." Maddie purred in a half-sleepy state.

"You want to be awake when Rich tells you where you are, don't you?" London asked.

"Yes." Maddie pouted playfully as she stretched herself awake. "I'll go freshen up." She said before making her way to the lavatory. Five minutes later, she emerged from the lavatory just as Jennifer, the cabin steward, came through to ask them to prepare for landing.

"_**Good afternoon ladies. This is your captain Richard Anderson. By now Jennifer has asked you to buckle in and prepare for landing. In just a few minutes**_ _**we will begin our descent into the Niagara Falls International Airport in Niagara Falls, New York. Once we arrive, it will be about 40 minutes by car to your final destination. Thank you for flying on Tipton One. Have a wonderful evening, and Happy Anniversary."**_

"Niagara Falls?" Maddie exclaimed. "I… This is… I've never been to Niagara Falls!" Maddie sat with her mouth open looking at London, desperately wanting to get out of her seat and kiss her but unable to move.

"Tip of the proverbial iceberg, my dear." London said as the plane began its descent.

The plane sat in the hangar at Niagara Falls International Airport as the two of them readied for their evening. London chose to take the lavatory while Maddie changed in the main cabin.

"THIS IS THE EXACT DRESS THAT HAYDEN PANETTIERE WORE TO THE ACADEMY… whoa." Maddie called out to London before turning around and catching her first glimpse of London, resplendent in a black halter dress with a neckline that plunged scandalously low and an asymmetrical hemline and black heels that left little to the imagination.

"I know. I said if it looked good on her, then I know you'd look amazing in it." London referred to the long princess-like white gown Maddie wore and the diamond and silver necklace that went with it.

"The necklace was just over the top though." Maddie said.

"It was not over the top and I will continue to do it until I run out of money and according to my latest bank statement, that won't happen for a long, long time." London said.

"Forget me. You look phenomenal." Maddie said with awe-struck reverence.

"You make me feel phenomenal." London said with equal awe in her voice before snapping out of it. "Now let's go. I have a full evening planned."

"I hope you carve out some time for me to give you your gift." Maddie said.

"I promise I will." London said. "Come on."

Forty-five minutes later, they arrived at their destination – Watermark Restaurant, a restaurant located on the rooftop of the Hilton Fallsview, across the border on the Canadian side of the Falls. The water-themed restaurant contained two large aquariums, a vaulted ceiling and eighteen-foot high windows that enabled one to take in a gorgeous, unobstructed view of the Falls.

"This is the second-most amazing night of my life." Maddie said breathlessly as they walked into the restaurant.

"It'll be number one before I'm done." London said.

The two women sat down for dinner and enjoyed themselves immensely, discussing everything from the Tipton's upcoming breast cancer ball to Maddie's family and back. Near the conclusion of the meal, London excused herself as she reached in her evening bag for phone to place a call. After the call, she turned to Maddie.

"Part two of the evening is ready." London said.

"Another road trip?" Maddie asked.

"Another road trip." London said as she stood to pull Maddie's chair out for her.

"Ooh! Such a gentleman." Maddie teased earning a chuckle from London before they departed.

About twenty minutes later, their limo pulled up in front of a park identified by the sign as "Queen Victoria Park". As they got out, they silently took note of the unusually warm April evening. The average maximum temperature at the Falls in April is 56 degrees Fahrenheit, 13 degrees Celsius. The high that day was a shade over 70 degrees Fahrenheit or 20 degrees Celsius and had only dropped about five degrees by the time they reached the park. As they walked arm-in-arm, they chatted a little more.

"So how are you enjoying your first trip to Niagara Falls?" London asked sweetly. Maddie's response was to stop and passionately press her lips to London's. When they broke the kiss, London swore she saw stars. "Wow. Well I take that as a positive endorsement."

"I… am on cloud nine. This is the most amazing first anniversary gift ever. Thank you." Maddie said.

"Oh, cool! So I can keep the gift I have for you." London deadpanned.

"You better give me my gift, missy! I earned it!" Maddie said causing London to laugh.

"All right. I'll give you your gift." London said. "Are you ready?"

"Ready!" Maddie said excitedly.

"Okay, now look up at the sky." London said. Along with the unseasonable warmth, it was also unseasonably clear. Only the moon and stars could be seen in the sky. "Now you see that bright start right there?" London pointed to a bright start shining high in the sky.

"I see it." Maddie said.

"That star…" London said. "Doesn't hold a candle to this."

Maddie instinctively looked down at London when she said that. London dropped her eyes quickly to motion to Maddie to look down further. When Maddie did, she gasped.

"You… are kidding me." Maddie slowly said.

"This is as serious as it gets, Blondie." London said. "It was impossible to find anything that shines as brightly as you do in my life… but I came close."

"I… must really shine, huh?" Maddie said as her eyes welled up with tears.

"I have told you every day for the last 365 days how I feel about you, but that's not enough for me." London said. "So I want you to take this and put it on… so I can tell you for the rest of your life." London then lifted her hand to place the twelve-carat round-cut diamond engagement ring at eye level with Maddie. "Marry me."

Tears streamed down Maddie's face as her focus shifted between London's face and the massive rock that lay between them. Maddie then cocked her head to one-side and, with tongue literally in cheek, began to chuckle an incredulous chuckle.

"For as long as I've known you, you have always managed to steal my thunder." Maddie said. "And you've managed to do it again. So let's see… put your twelve carats…" Maddie then reached inside her evening bag and produced a seven- carat princess cut ring. Stunning London and sending her already stream-producing tear ducts into overdrive "… with my seven and that's nineteen carats of 'Yes. I will marry you.'"

With that, London and Maddie threw their arms around each other and wept tears of unbridled joy as their mutual proposals went without a hitch.

"Oh my god, I love you so much." London whispered as they stood in each other's arms, nose-to-nose.

"I love you too." Maddie said in a half-whisper, half-cry.

London exhaled and then sighed as she wiped her tears away. "Now we gotta go if we're gonna do this."

"Do what?" Maddie said, wiping her tears as well.

"You might wanna take your heels off cause we gotta run." London said.

"Run?" Maddie exclaimed.

London then pulled out her cell phone and dialed as she began to run for the limo. "RICH! IT'S LONDON! WE'RE A GO FOR THE NEXT PART. WE'LL BE THERE IN FORTY MINUTES!"

"WHERE ARE WE GOING NOW?" Maddie said as she ran after London.

"YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE GET THERE!" London yelled over her shoulder.

"I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN!" Maddie said as they hopped into the limo and sped off for the airport. By 10 pm, the two ladies were back in the air for parts unknown… at least for Maddie anyway.

* * *

**Friday, April 13, 2018 – 4 am – New York City**

"You are nuts. You know that right?" Maddie said.

"I am well aware of that." London said just before ringing the doorbell. After several seconds, she pushed the button again. Seconds later, she pushed the button again. This time there was profane muttering coming from the other side of the door.

"_Who the hell is ringing the door bell at 4 in the morning? People trying to sleep in here. WHO IS IT?"_

"London and Maddie!" London whisper-yelled. "Open the door!"

"_London and Maddie?" _The door flies open, revealing a purple silk pajama-clad Raven Baxter with her hair puffy and wild from sleep. "What the hell are y'all doing here?" At that moment, both of them held up their hands revealing their engagement rings. "Ho-lee shit!" Raven exclaimed in quiet shock before taking off down the hallway of the apartment and into the master bedroom. Seconds later, London and Maddie heard a "WHAT?" come from the bedroom and two sets of footfalls pounding down the hallway. A suddenly wide-awake Chelsea came sprinting out behind Raven. "Show her." Raven said to the newly-minted fiancées. They did so happily. And then…

Chelsea screamed, setting off a screaming celebration in the apartment as the four of them hugged, cried and talked on top of each other as they celebrated. The whimper of a baby awakening and the emergence of Little Tonya from her room temporarily halted the impromptu party.

"Oh, Mommy's sorry we woke you!" Raven said.

"What's going on?" The precocious little girl asked.

"Aunt Maddie and Aunt London are getting married!" Chelsea said.

"Yay! I get to go to a wedding!" Tonya yelled.

"Yep. You all do. Get dressed. The car is downstairs waiting." London said.

"What? You mean now? This morning?" Raven asked.

"We've got to fly to Nashville to pick up Miley and Lilly. My stepmother is meeting us there. So pack a couple of things and let's go!" London said.

"I'll pack the kids a bag!" Chelsea took off down the hallway.

"Chels!" Raven called after her to no avail. "You two are insane!"

"Yeah we are. But we want our friends with us when we do this. Small ceremony, justice of the peace, family and friends. That's it." Maddie said. "She convinced me on the plane to drink the Kool-Aid."

"Then I guess we're on our way to Nashville." Raven said. "Give us about thirty minutes."

* * *

**Friday, April 13, 2018 – 7 am – Belle Meade, Tennessee, wealthy suburb of Nashville and home of Miley and Lilly Stewart**

"Now what did you say when you called them?" London asked Raven.

"I told them that there was an emergency and that you two needed help and that we'd be here around seven to pick them up." Raven said.

"Okay. Good. Ring the buzzer." London said as they pulled up to the iron security gate that led up to main house about a hundred yards away.

Raven hit the buzzer from her driver's position in the hastily rented minivan. "Duck! Security cameras!" Raven whisper-yelled before hearing the intercom open.

"_Hello?"_

"Lilly, it's us open up!" Raven said. A moment later, the gate came to life, slowly opening for them to drive through.

About a minute later they were pulling up in front of the Stewart estate, past Miley's Mercedes sedan and Lilly's Bentley coupe. Raven and Chelsea hopped out and went up to the door. Lilly and Miley met them at the door with overnight bag in hand. After exchanging hugs, they headed back to the van.

"You didn't tell me on the phone… what's going on?" Miley asked.

"We'll explain it to you in the van." Chelsea said.

As they reached the van, Lilly had another question. "Where are they right now?"

"Well…" Raven said. She then slid the van door open revealing the two mystery guests. "They're right here."

"Whose up for a wedding today?" London bellowed as she and Maddie thrust their diamond-laden hands forward for the Tennesseans to see.

"Ohmigod! Ohmigod! Ohmigod!" Lilly exclaimed.

"I am gonna kill the four of you for worrying us like that!" Miley exclaimed. "But after I hug you! Congratulations!" Miley lit up like a Christmas tree as they exchanged hugs, kisses and tears with the other four women.

"Tonya! Richie!" Lilly beamed as she spotted Raven and Chelsea's children in the back seat waving to them.

"Pile in. We've got to pick my mother up at the hotel and then it's off to get married!" London said.

"Where are we going anyway?" Chelsea inquired.

"Yeah! You never told ME where we're going! And I'm your bride-to-be!" Maddie said.

"We're gonna hit the beach. We're headed… to Miami!" London announced.

"I knew there was a reason I liked you!" Raven exclaimed.

"Mmmm. Lilly in a bikini? Mama like!" Miley purred.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Lilly exclaimed.

Raven cranked up the car but not before pulling a forty-year old classic – the Miami song from The Golden Girls. _"I have to say what I feel, Miami has so much appeal, A great place to get a seafood meal… Hit it Chels!"_

Chelsea took it home. _MIAMI… Miami, Miami you've got style. Blue skies, sunshine, white sand by the mile._

Raven:_When you live in this town, each day is sublime._

Chelsea:_ The coldest of winters, are warm and divine_

Everybody:_ MIAMI, you've got style! _

_

* * *

_

**So they are engaged and headed to Miami to get hitched. Please note, as of February 27, 2008, same-sex marriage and civil unions are prohibited by Florida state law. But this story is set in 2018 and in ten years time, who knows?**

**By the way, if you don't know the Miami song, find The Golden Girls online and watch that episode. It was hilarious.**

**We'll get back to Boston and the drama that awaits in due time. But first, we're headed to Florida for a wedding. See you there. **

**PLEASE REVIEW.**


	6. Bikinis and Sarongs and Heifers, Oh My!

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**Author's Note: I have been away a while taking care of some personal matters and I still am, but writing is therapy for me and I am getting better. This chapter has a little bit of everything – some laughs, some tears, some tenderness, some roughness – you know; everything you've come to expect from Triple L. By the way, another chapter title that I absolutely love! Enjoy!**

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**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 6**_

**Bikinis and Sarongs and Heifers, Oh My!**

**Friday, April 13, 2018 – 8:30 am – Nashville International Airport – Private Aircraft Hangar**

As morning came into full bloom in Nashville, the group was strapping in, preparing for their impromptu trip to London and Maddie's impromptu ceremony.

"I have got to be out of my mind to be doing this." Raven said as she buckled in. "You bi…" Raven censored herself after glancing at Chelsea and Tonya. "You chicks are crazy."

"Come on Rae! I know you and Chelsea have done something crazy since you've been married!" Miley said.

"Well Rae… we did christen your new office." Chelsea said.

"Chels!" Raven exclaimed. "Ixnay on the istenchray. Okay? Our children are sitting here."

"You sound more and more like your mother every day." Chelsea joked.

"I do not!" Raven bristled before turning to Tonya. "Sit up straight, sweetie. And don't play with that."

"I take it back. You don't sound anything like her." Chelsea said sarcastically causing the women to laugh. "And anyway, Tonya knows about s-e-x." Chelsea said, spelling the word.

"My baby does not know about that yet, nor will she for another year… or ten." Raven said.

"I do know about sex, Mommy!" Little Tonya said. "I heard you and Mommy Chelsea the other night! OH BABY YES! JUST LIKE THAT! You said that, Mommy!"

The whole plane exploded in laughter as Raven sat with her mouth wide open in complete shock over what Tonya had just revealed. Chelsea dropped her head and slowly shook it.

"Looks like she know about the birds and the bees, the forest AND the trees!" Maddie said laughing.

"You two can't keep your affairs secret can you?" London said. "Tonya heard you, we walked in on you, I mean, have you two no shame?" She joked.

Chelsea looked over at Raven who looked back at her incredulously. "Don't look at me!" Raven said. "You carried her for nine months!"

"Yeah, but she inherited that mouth from you." Chelsea shot back.

"And from what London and I saw in the Jacuzzi out in Malibu, her husband or wife will be very happy she inherited that mouth." Maddie said, igniting another round of uproarious laughter.

"I really don't like you." Chelsea deadpanned to Maddie, setting off more laughter.

"I sure am glad y'all aren't around when we're feelin' frisky." Miley said in a more pronounced Tennessee twang than the ladies remembered.

"Wow! I know they say someone with an Irish accent kissed the Blarney stone." London said. "But what did you kiss, Miley?"

"Lookin' at the smile on Lilly's face, I bet I know what she kissed!" Chelsea cracked setting the laughter off again.

"Chelsea from downtown!" Raven said as she reached over and high-fived her wife.

"You nasty heifers!" Miley exclaimed. "For your information, my accent comes out when I've been around my kinfolk a lot. Lilly and I just spent a week at Mamaw's place in Misty Hollow."

"Mommy, what's a heifer?" Tonya asked Raven.

"See those four right there?" Raven said pointing to Miley, Lilly, Maddie and London. "They're heifers, baby." Raven said sweetly.

"Rae!" Chelsea exclaimed.

Raven chuckled. "I'm just playin', baby." She said to her little girl. "Auntie Miley, you wanna take this one?"

"Sure. It's what they call a girl cow before it has babies." Miley said.

"Oh! So my teacher Miss Gordon is a heifer! Cause you told Mommy Chelsea that she was a cow and she hasn't had babies yet." Tonya said inciting another side splitting laugh riot that Chelsea could not help but to join.

"Why don't you take a nap until we land. Okay, sweetie?" Raven said in an attempt to shut Tonya up as the others laughed.

"I'm not sleepy, Mommy!" Tonya said.

"You're not? Well, you want some NyQuil? Or a little brandy or something?" Raven said.

"You are not giving our daughter brandy!" Chelsea scoffed.

"I was just trying to get her to shut…" Raven mumbled before turning back to Tonya. "Okay Tonya, time to play the quiet game while us grown-ups talk." Just then, the plane began to taxi down the runway. "Tonya! The plane is going to fly!"

"YAY!" Tonya said as she leaned over and pressed her face against the glass to watch them leave the ground.

"Whew! Saved by the takeoff." Raven said as the plane began to ascend into the blue sky.

Roughly forty-five minutes into the flight, and ten minutes after Richie's crying fit ended and he, along with his big sister drifted off to sleep, the ladies started up another conversation.

"So London, Maddie, tell us about your anniversary night!" Lilly said grinning.

"She… swept me off my feet!" Maddie said with stars in her eyes. "She whisked me away on this very plane to a romantic dinner overlooking Niagara Falls. She bought me the most beautiful dress; you know the one Hayden Pannetiere wore to the Oscars this year?" Maddie had the ladies hanging on her every word. "Then she took me to THE most beautiful park, had me look up into the stars and she proposed. It was like a fairy tale."

"That's beautiful." Chelsea said with a tear in her eye.

"It's too bad I kinda choked off her proposal." London said.

"You were gonna propose too?" Miley asked.

"I was. But Princess here upstaged me again." Maddie said playfully. "And if I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't change a thing."

London stood up and walked over to Maddie, sitting in her lap and placing a chaste kiss on her lips. "You are so sweet." London said.

"Now London. What would you have done if we weren't home or said we couldn't leave to come to Miami with you?" Chelsea asked.

"Then I guess Maddie and I would be up here consummating our engagement." London said matter-of-factly.

"Wait a minute. You two didn't before you came to get us, did you?" Raven said before getting up and checking her seat and her backside. "I don't have booty juice on my jeans, do I?"

Raven's comment was met by a chorus of eww's and oh's. "God! You are so disgusting!" Maddie said.

"You know if the roles were reversed, you'd have said it to me, so don't even trip!" Raven said.

"I didn't say I wasn't disgusting. I just said you were." Maddie reasoned. "Besides, I'd have lapped up all the juice." For the second time, a chorus of eww's and oh's echoed through the cabin.

"Okay, that's quite enough of that. Changing the subject… quickly… London, what are you and Maddie wearing for the wedding?" Lilly inquired.

"Bikinis and sarongs. All of us are. It's a beach ceremony." London said.

"No. No. A thousand times no." Raven said. "I am not putting this big ass in a bikini. Unh-uh. No way. Forget it."

"Raven, it's a bikini AND a sarong. Besides, it's one of your designs coming from your boutique." London said. "Now I know you, in your infinite wisdom, designed a bikini in your line that you could wear."

Chelsea leaned over to Raven and whispered in her ear. "You know, the idea of you on the beach in a two piece is gettin' Strawberry kinda moist over here. Let's go with this one." Chelsea said referring to the Strawberry nickname Raven gave her not too long after they started dating.

Raven looked over at Chelsea. "Strawberry and Peaches in Miami?" Raven asked in a whisper, referring to her old "Peaches" nickname. Chelsea nodded and smiled.

"You know London; bikinis might not be such a bad idea after all." Raven said.

"What did Chelsea say to you to change your mind?" Miley asked. It was now Lilly's turn to lean over to Miley and whisper something into her ear.

"She probably said something like what I'm about to say to you… Like when I get you alone with you and your bikini how I'm gonna lick every creamy inch of your skin like an ice cream cone and then fuck you so good that you'll be screaming my name in your dreams." Lilly whisper-purred into Miley's ear, causing the long-haired brunette to shift in her seat.

"Man, I'd kill to be Miley after that ceremony!" Maddie said. "Look at her blushing."

"Wow. She lit you up like a Christmas tree, huh?" Raven asked. "Uhh, sweetie, you may wanna…" Raven made a discreet attempt to signal to Miley that her arousal was evident to everyone in the cabin via her hardened nipples. Miley noticed and quickly crossed her arms over her chest and squinted at Lilly with one quivering eye.

"Bikinis, huh London?" Miley said as she tried to gather herself. "Awesome idea. Just awesome."

"So Maddie, you started telling us about this stalker chick that has the hots for London?" Raven said.

"She does not have the hots for me." London quickly jumped to her own defense. "I mean, she did once. But that was years ago. She has a girlfriend now. Corrie Buckingham does not want me."

"Wait. Corrie Buckingham? As in Corrie Buckingham, daughter of Walter Buckingham, president of The Buckingham Investment Trust?" Chelsea asked.

"That's her." Maddie said. "She went to Catholic school with us."

"Wow! All I have to say is that if she were a character on The L Word, she'd have more hookups than Shane or Papi." Chelsea said. "Watch your back, Blondie."

"Wait a minute. How do you know about her?" London asked.

"A guy at my firm used to work for Buckingham and he had some stories about her that were corroborated by one of my colleagues that I trust and is not a gossip spreader." Chelsea said.

"You know London; she did say that she and Mary-Margaret had an open relationship." Maddie said.

"Hold on." Raven said. "Chels, don't you know a Mary-Margaret from Boston."

"Yeah, I do." Chelsea said. "She's the one that worked in our PR department for a few months. Remember, I told you that she asked me out once. Really sweet girl. Mary-Margaret… Buchanan. That's it. Mary-Margaret Buchanan."

"Oh my God! That's Corrie's woman!" London said. "She was Corrie's best friend in high school. She had a thing for Maddie back then."

"So YOU'RE the blonde hottie she told me about!" Chelsea said. "She never mentioned names but I thought it sounded like you."

"See! I told you she wanted you in school!" London exclaimed.

"Yeah, well, a broken clock is right twice a day." Maddie said flatly.

"Anyway, from what I heard, Corrie can be a little obsessive." Chelsea warned. "She wore this poor girl for months down at her father's firm until she finally slept with her…" Chelsea then got a troubled look on her face. "As a matter of fact… the guy said that this girl looked just… like… London."

"Okay, now you guys are just messing with me!" London said. "Corrie seems to be a sweet girl that is really into Mary-Margaret and vice versa. The past is the past."

"Mary-Margaret didn't seem very happy when Corrie said that their relationship was open." Maddie recalled.

"Well that is for them to work out. What I am concerned with is being in love with the sexiest, sweetiest, blondiest lawyer in Boston and making an honest woman out of her." London proclaimed, purposely making up 'sweetiest and blondiest'.

"Just be careful." Lilly said.

"Lil, you don't get to where I am without watching your back." London said. "Corrie Buckingham may want this, but it's not her's to have."

"And that's the bottom line… cause London Tipton… said so!" Maddie said in her best Stone Cold Steve Austin voice.

"No more wrestling classics for you." London deadpanned.

"You're not complaining when I body slam that…" Maddie started.

"NO! I don't. Not at all. You win." London said.

"_**Ladies, Captain Rich here. Jennifer will be back in just a few moments to ask you to prepare for landing in Miami. It's a balmy 84 degrees in Magic City. Enjoy yourselves, don't forget your sunscreen and… take some pictures of yourselves for Ol' Rich."**_

"IN YOU'RE DREAMS, RICH!" Maddie yelled to the cockpit.

"SHHHH!" Raven said, afraid the yelling would wake the kids. Before she could stop them, London spoke up.

"I'M GONNA TELL CYNTHIA WHAT YOU SAID!" London said referring to Rich's wife. That sentence was followed by Richie waking up in tears.

"London!" Chelsea chided she picked up Richie and tried to quiet him.

"Sorry, Richie!" London whisper-yelled.

"Great. Now the baby's upset. Say sorry to the baby." Raven deadpanned a la Vince Vaughn in Old School as Chelsea picked him up and rocked him.

"Sorry, baby." London came back with the next line a la Will Ferrell in the same movie. "Auntie London is just excited cause she's getting married.

"London, are you sure your mom is okay?" Lilly asked, referring to the fact that they hadn't seen or heard her since she got on the plane. She went to take a nap in the private part of the cabin.

"Yeah, she hates flying so she medicates herself silly so she can sleep through it. Jennifer checked on her a few minutes ago. She's fine." London responded. "Speak of the devil! There's my mommy! How do you feel?"

Into the main cabin of the airplane stepped Brandi Tipton, the 36-year old Latina bombshell that was the sixth wife and widow of record of the late Wilfred Tipton.

"Better. I figured I better come out here before Jennifer has to come get me." Brandi said.

"Mrs. Tipton, it's so cool of you to come to London's wedding." Miley said.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. London is my daughter and I love her. There's nothing I wouldn't do for her." Brandi said.

"I wish I could say the same for my biological mother." London said flatly.

"Where is she anyway? You barely mention her." Raven said.

"In Morocco… or Singapore… or Amsterdam. I don't know where the hell she is and really don't care." London spat. "She has chosen to distance herself and that's fine with me."

"Now London, that IS your mother." Brandi said sweetly.

"No. She gave birth to me. She dumped me in private schools and finishing schools because she wasn't up for the job of taking care of a child. All she wanted to do was globe-hop." London scoffed. "I've learned more about being a woman from you than I ever did from her."

"Baby, she did come to your sweet sixteen party. And you said she flew to Paris when you graduated from college." Maddie said.

"Big fucking deal!" London exclaimed before remembering that Tonya and Richie were waking up. "Sorry. My mother came to my sweet sixteen party because Marion called her and begged her after I cried in his arms about not seeing her. And she came to my graduation because she happened to be in Geneva and it was convenient. As far as I am concerned, Brandi Marisol Perez Tipton is my mother and Sandra Li-Chen Kwon was simply a birth receptacle. Now can we please move to happier subject because I refuse to be pissed off on my wedding day!"

Brandi leaned over to Raven and Chelsea to whisper something she didn't want London to hear. "I guess this would be a bad time to tell her that I invited her mother to the wedding." Brandi whispered.

"I KNOW… I did not just hear you say what I think you said." London said with a flash of incredulous anger. "Tell me you did not invite that heifer to my wedding."

"There's that word again." Chelsea said.

"It's not every day that her only daughter gets married." Brandi said calmly.

"When we land, call her. Make up an excuse. Tell her Maddie got the flu. Tell her that I got a case of cold feet. Tell her anything you want but I don't want her within twenty city blocks of that beach!" London bellowed with tears in her eyes as she hopped up and stormed off toward the private cabin. Maddie stood up quickly to follow her. The other women looked on with concern as they watched a visibly upset London leave.

London brushed past the cabin steward Jennifer just as she went to speak. "Miss Tipton, buckle in we'll be… landing… soon." Jennifer's last two words were delivered to the back of London's head as she stalked into the private cabin.

Maddie opened the door to the private cabin to see London staring out of the window with tears glistening in her eyes and a scowl etched on her face. Maddie didn't make a move toward her. She simply stood inside the cabin door.

"You still care very much about your mother." Maddie said.

"No I don't." London said, never turning her head toward Maddie.

"Yes you do. And you know how I know that?" Maddie asked. London cut her eyes quickly toward Maddie and then back out the window. "Because if you didn't care, you wouldn't have gotten so mad." Maddie's assessment was met with silence. "I get so furious with my mother because I love her and I want her to be part of my life so desperately." Maddie walked over to sit down in front of London. "I can see it in your eyes. I see a little girl that got hurt by the person that she thought was going to always be there for her. Daddy being a jet-setter is one thing, but Mommy is supposed to be there. She's supposed to bake brownies and buy you ballerina dresses and give you that smile when she catches you playing in her makeup…"

London's tears began to fall as she looked out the window. Her lip also began to quiver as Maddie continued. "All those clothes and diamonds and all that money could never make up for the one thing that you really wanted. And you're mad as hell at her and you know what, you should be. But Brandi is right. That is your mother. Most of us only get one but you, damnit Princess, got two. And you will make the one very happy, if you could at least… be cordial to the other one… for today."

London turned to look at Maddie as she drank in her fiancée's words. Then, years of angst came out in the form of painful sobs. Maddie scooted forward in her seat as London collapsed into her arms as she wept. Maddie tried to calm her as she stroked London's hair. "I know it hurts, baby. Just let it go." Maddie said in a soft whisper as she comforted London.

"What did I do wrong?" London painfully asked in between sobs. "Was I a bad girl or something?"

"No, baby. You were great." Maddie said.

"Then why… did they leave me in that hotel?" London sobbed.

"I don't know." Maddie said. "You'll have to ask her yourself."

London then meekly uttered a sentence that made Maddie's heart burst wide open. "I want my mommy."

Maddie felt her entire body shudder as the emotion of that torturously painful admission rocked her. She closed her eyes and used every ounce of strength she had to hold herself together, only allowing the tears in her eyes to silently stream down her cheeks.

Several minutes went by as Maddie rocked London in her arms. When the Asian beauty was cried out, she slowly sat up and looked at Maddie shirt.

"I got snot on your blouse." London chuckled as she wiped her tears away from her now puffy eyes.

"I won't be wearing this today anyway. Bikinis, right?" Maddie came back chuckling.

"Right." London said as she smiled. Her smile then quickly disappeared and her lip quivered again as her emotions were once again on the edge. "I miss her." Maddie nodded. "I'm so goddamn angry at her for leaving me, but… I miss her. Weird, huh?"

"That's not weird." Maddie said. "It's human. You are not a clothes-shopping cyborg." Maddie said earning a tearful laugh from the love of her life. "You are a flesh-and-blood human being that wants to spend time with her mother. It's nature at work."

London though about Maddie's words for a moment. "She probably won't even show up."

"I tell you what." Maddie said. "If she shows up, then you have to invite her to our housewarming party for… the house… we haven't bought yet."

"And if she doesn't?" London asked.

"Then I'll let you sleep with Corrie." Maddie shot back causing London to laugh out loud.

"Thanks a lot." London said sarcastically. "That's one hell of a prize!"

"Come on London! The woman is fine!" Maddie said.

"She also nuttier than a Payday bar!" London shot back. "You've seen Fatal Attraction! I like bunnies! I don't want to come home and find one boiling in a pot on the stove!"

Maddie started laughing. "All right. If your mom doesn't show up… I'll let you take me to that sex toy shop you wanted to go to."

"Really?" London perked up. "And we can get the…"

"Yes. We can get that. But only because I love you." Maddie said.

"And because you think it'll feel good." London said with a smirk.

Maddie raised and eyebrow before giving in. "And because I think it'll feel good."

"You're gonna let me take you even if she does show up… aren't you?" London once again said with a smirk.

Maddie dropped her head. "Yes."

London beamed. "My little blonde freak. Come gimme some love." Maddie leaned over to embrace London.

"_**Ladies, this is Captain Rich. Their experiencing some stronger-than-usual crosswinds at Miami International right now so we are going to have to stay up here for a little bit and circle. Should be about a half an hour to forty minutes. As soon as we get the all clear from the tower, we'll make our approach. I apologize for the last minute snafu, but I'll make sure you all touch down safely for the wedding. I'll talk to you as soon as I have something else to report."**_

"Forty-five minutes, huh?" London said with a hint of devilishness in her eyes.

"London, no!" Maddie whisper-yelled. "The girls and your stepmother are out there!"

"We can be quiet." London purred. "Besides, we haven't… consummated our engagement yet."

"How do you go from grief to lust so quickly?" Maddie inquired.

"I got the bad things out." London continued to purr. "Now I want to get the good things in. Mainly…" London took Maddie's hand and gently began to kiss and suck her fingers. "Mainly these beautiful fingers."

"Promise you'll be quiet?" Maddie said.

"Only if you promise you'll be quiet." London countered.

"Just don't make me come too hard." Maddie said as she leaned in to kiss London.

"I can't promise that." London said in between kisses.

"I was hoping you'd say that." Maddie whisper-growled as she kicked herself, and London, into a higher gear.

* * *

**I don't mean to be a tease, but I did promise a wedding so I've got to make sure Rich lands the plane. And he will land at the beginning of chapter seven. Plus, we will finally get to meet London's biological mother, Sandra Li-Chen Kwon. And for the record, I made that name up. They never mentioned her name in the show. As for the actress that I will use as a model for her… She was Lady Deathstrike in the X-Men sequel, X2 and played opposite The Rock in The Scorpion King as Cassandra. The model for London's mother is actress Kelly Hu. London's stepmother, Brandi, was portrayed on the show by T Lopez.**


	7. This Is The Way That We Live

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**Author's Note: Love it or hate it, I know most of you know the words to the opening theme of The L Word, so sing along with me. If you don't know 'em, you're about to learn. By the way, if you don't already know, the song was written and performed by the group Betty.**

_**Girls in tight dresses, Who drag with mustaches, **_

_**Chicks drivin' fast, Ingénues with long lashes,  
Women who long, love, lust, Women who give,  
This is the way, It's the way that we liiiiiiive. **_

_**Talking, laughing, loving, breathing, fighting, fucking, crying, drinking, riding,**_ _**winning, losing, cheating, kissing, thinking, dreaming. **_

_**This is the way, It's the way that we live  
It's the way that we liiiiiiiiiive, And loooooooooooooooooove!**_

**Two new original characters, since Disney never introduced us to London's mom, I'm taking credit for it! And I'm previewing a character that will show up in my next Chrave story. She is Raven and Chelsea's nanny, Paulina Miklaszewski (pronounced Mick-la-chef-ski). And she is based on one of the wonderful stars of The L Word, none other that Alice Piezecki herself, the beautiful and talented actress Leisha Hailey.**

**Sandra Li-Chen Kwon – Kelly Hu**

**Paulina Miklaszewski – Leisha Hailey**

**

* * *

**

**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 7**_

**This Is The Way That We Live**

About twenty-five minutes after they disappeared into the private cabin of the airplane, London and Maddie re-emerged. The looks of anger and worry that were etched on their faces upon their departure from the main cabin were long gone, replaced by looks of peace and contentment.

"London, you okay sweetie? We were worried about you." Brandi said.

"I feel much better. Maddie talked me in off the ledge." London said as she sat down and buckled in.

"Is she gonna be all right?" Miley leaned over to ask Maddie in a whisper.

Maddie smiled. "She'll be fine. She had a good cry and let it all out." Maddie said as she glanced over at London who shot her a quick glance and a smile back.

"You two did it." Raven said. "I'd know that look anywhere. Chelsea and I have shared that look many times. You two nasty nasties did it."

"Raven! My stepmother is sitting here! I will not be goaded into such a base and debauched conversation!" London scoffed.

"London? Sweetheart? Give it a rest." Brandi said. "You might as well have had it tattooed on your forehead. It's okay. I'm a big girl. I know you have sex."

"I will not be goaded into such a base and debauched conversation!" Raven mocked. "You are a piece of work, I swear!"

"Well I'm such a piece of work that I decided to give my mother a chance. It's been a while. Maybe she's changed. I wouldn't count on it, but I can always hope." London said.

Twenty minutes later, Tipton One landed safely on the tarmac at Miami International Airport and headed for the private hangar. Everyone grabbed their belongings and readied themselves for their limo ride to the hotel. As they neared Miami Beach, Raven, Chelsea and Miley noticed something different.

"London, where are we going? The beach is that way." Miley said.

"Oh, you didn't think we were staying at the beach, did you?" London said. "You should know me a little better than that." London gave her signature grin, indicating that she was up to something.

The limo headed east on the MacArthur Causeway toward the location that London picked for their stay. Suffice it to say that none of the women expected what was in store for them when they arrived.

"London! You are kidding me!" Chelsea exclaimed. Raven, Miley and Lilly were speechless.

"Baby? Is this where we're staying?" Maddie exclaimed.

"Welcome to our stomping grounds for the next several days." London said as they pulled up to the main gate. "I present to you… Casa Contenta."

Casa Contenta was a two-story palace of a waterfront estate situated on exclusive Palm Island, about ten minutes from Miami Beach. The ladies had a full acre of lush Florida green near the waterfront as their playground, anchored by the 11,000 square foot Spanish-style home. It contained a heated outdoor swimming pool and Jacuzzi, swim-in grotto tucked behind a waterfall, five bedroom suites, a gym, cinema theater and a billiard room with a bar.

"I… I… Oh my God!" Maddie stammered.

"I wanted to find something a little more luxurious for you but this is all I could find with a year's notice." London said.

"You've… been planning this for a year?" Maddie asked incredulously.

"Since the morning after the club." London said softly. "I wanted to bring you here before now but I figured getting married here would be even more romantic." Maddie cupped London's face before breaking down in tears, overwhelmed by the lengths London went for her.

London stepped forward and embraced her. "I think she likes it." London said to the group.

Just then, members of the staff discreetly descended upon the group, taking bags to the suites upstairs.

"Now that we know where we're staying, I need to tell Paulina." Raven said as she took out her phone to dial.

"Who's Paulina?" Lilly asked.

"She's our nanny." Chelsea said. "We called her after we left New York and asked her to meet us down here. She's gonna watch the kids for us after the wedding so we can go out with you guys."

"You must be paying her a lot for her to fly to Miami from New York with no warning." Miley said.

"She's doing all right for herself." Chelsea said with a wink.

"Okay, she's in town. She's on South Beach shopping so she'll catch up with us later." Raven said after hanging up her cell phone.

"You mean she's on South Beach trying to pick up women." Chelsea said.

"Yeah, well, you know how she rolls." Raven offered.

"So when does this shindig go down?" Miley asked.

"If that is your charming way of asking when the wedding will take place, it's tomorrow morning and we aren't really gonna wear bikinis and sarongs." London said.

"Crap! You got my hopes up for nothing!" Raven exclaimed.

"Sorry, Rae." London said. "No, tomorrow will be about beautiful, breezy white dresses."

"White? With this crew? I don't think so." Lilly joked.

"Oh is that so?" Miley said. "Well let's work on making your dress a little darker!" With that Lilly squealed and took off toward the staircase that led upstairs to the suites with Miley in hot pursuit.

"They are so young and immature." Raven said.

"Rae, they're like three years younger than you." Maddie said.

"And they are not as demure as we are." Raven shot back.

Just then Chelsea sidled up to Raven and whispered in her ear. "How much longer are you gonna make me wait?" Chelsea purred.

"London, would you mind…" Raven started.

"We'll watch the kids. Go." London said with a smirk.

Chelsea took that as her cue to tickle Raven's ribs causing her to squeal and head for the staircase. London, Maddie, Richie, Tonya and Brandi watched them run up the stairs in amusement. London then turned and squatted down in front of the kids.

"Would you like Miss Brandi to take you to the kitchen to see if there are some cookies and milk in there?" London asked.

"YEAH!" Tonya said. Richie giggled.

"Okay. Take my hand and we'll go find the kitchen." Brandi said as the kids took her by the hand.

"Thanks, Mom." London said as she leaned over and kissed Brandi on the cheek. Brandi and the kids then disappeared in search of the kitchen.

London and Maddie then silently walked hand-in-hand through the arched entrance to the main living room and sat down.

"I can't believe you rented this place. It is amazing." Maddie said sweetly.

"When you remember your wedding day, I want you to know it was the most special day of your life." London said.

"We could have gotten married in the parking lot of Wal-Mart and it would be the most special day of my life." Maddie said.

"You liar!" London quietly joked causing them both to laugh as she playfully pushed Maddie's arm. "But I know what you mean. If I didn't have a dime to my name, as long as I had you, I'd be the richest woman in the world." Maddie smiled a warm, loving smile before leaning in and drawing London into a soft, deep kiss.

"I never was one for good timing." The sound of a foreign voice snapped the two women out of their kiss and made both of them turn around. Standing in the entranceway to the living room was London's mother, Sandra. "Hi London."

"Mom. Hi." London said softly as Maddie gave her hands a squeeze before London stood and made her way over to her mother. She got to within arms length and paused before stepping forward and embracing her mother. After several moments, they broke the embrace.

"Let me take a look at you." Sandra said. She held both of London's hands as she stepped back to take in the sight of her daughter for the first time in nearly five years. "You look so much more beautiful than I did at your age."

"Thanks." London said meekly. "How was your flight?"

"It was fine. I was in New York and I went up to Boston when Brandi called but you weren't there." Sandra said.

"You look amazing." London said. Sandra Li-Chen Kwon might have just turned fifty, but she could have easily passed for thirty-five. She was five-feet-five inches of petite beauty. She possessed couture elegance, almost gliding as she walked. She had the ability to silence any room that she walked into without speaking a single word. Her almond eyes, silky jet black hair, rosy cheeks and megawatt smile could bring any man to his knees. And just like her daughter, she took the lyrics of the song "Legs" to heart. She got legs, and she knew how to use them.

"No. You are the one that looks amazing. And you're getting married." Sandra then turned her attention to Maddie. "My goodness. Maddie. You have become almost as breathtaking a young woman as London. The last time I saw you was…"

"London's sweet sixteen party." Maddie recalled.

"It's been that long?" Sandra asked. "I'm sorry about that."

"So… where are you… calling home now?" London asked.

"I actually just moved to New York. I'm tired of being in Europe. I miss the states." Sandra said. "I miss you."

"If you'll excuse me… I'm gonna go find Brandi and the kids." Maddie said as she made her way out into the hallway. "It was good seeing you again Ms. Kwon."

"Please Maddie, Sandra is fine. And it was good seeing you too. I'll see you later." Sandra said as Maddie politely smiled and made her exit.

After a moment or so of awkward silence, London spoke. "Would you… like to sit down?"

"Thank you." Sandra said. "This is an amazing house. Brandi told me that you spared no expense to pull this off and she wasn't kidding." London politely smiled and nodded her head. Another moment of awkward silence ensued. "I… don't really… know where to being, London. There's so much I want to say to you."

"Well, just pick a place and let 'er rip." London said.

"Okay." Sandra said. "You have no reason to believe a word I'm about to say and you probably hate me as it is, but… I love you. Not a day goes by that I don't think about you and all the time we've lost over the years. I… am filled with regret over some… no, all of the decisions I have ever made concerning you. I haven't been a mother to you at all and I am not about to try to start being one now. I just… I don't want to cause you any more pain than I already have. London… I'm sorry for leaving you and I want to ask you if there is any way that you can eventually, over time, forgive me."

London sat stoned face for a moment. She was ready for a fight. She had prepared herself to come out with both guns blazing and really lay a serious telling off at her mother's feet. But her mother's opening salvo had diffused London's rage. London was at a loss for what to do next. She was sure that the self-absorbed, divorce-jackpot winning diva was going to give her plenty of ammunition to blast her out of the water. What London was faced with was a woman that sounded remorseful and almost contrite.

London studied Sandra for a moment before deciding on her course of action.

"You hurt me." London quietly began. "You abandoned me. You left me to be raised in boarding schools and a hotel. For some reason, I accepted the fact that Daddy was never going to be there and I said that as long as the bank account stayed full that I was all right with that. But you… I needed you." London paused. "The closest thing that I had to a mother and father growing up was Marion Moseby. He was there for my first steps. He was there putting the $100 bill Daddy sent under my pillow when I lost my first tooth. He went with me to get my driver's license. And since Daddy died, Brandi has been an incredible mother to me. I thought she was like the other steps, you know, another charm on my stepmother bracelet. But she proved to be the real deal."

London paused as she felt tears stinging her eyes. "I am angry at you. But I don't hate you. Because for everything I just said, there is a huge… hole in my soul that only you can fill. And I hate that… because part of me wants to hate you. Part of me wants to… yell at you and throw things at you. Part of me wants to ask you why you didn't mourn for Daddy. Part of me wants to know why you didn't come to the funeral. But that would open up a door to a part of my darkness that I don't want to go back to."

"London. I loved your father. We just couldn't… we were better off as friends." Sandra said. "And I did mourn him. I didn't know I had that many tears. And I said to myself that there was no way that I could go to that funeral. I felt like I had no standing, no right to be there. Plus I didn't think I could take it." Sandra scooted closer to London. "But you know what? I could take it. I was there, London."

London looked at her mother in shock. "You couldn't have been. I would have seen you."

"I snuck in the back about halfway through the service." Sandra said as her tears started to fall. "It was a cowardly way to do it, but I was there. It was the first time in my adult life that I didn't run. I was going to stay and find you after the ceremony. But then you broke down and collapsed, sobbing in front of the casket." London attempted and failed to choke back a sob. "It just crushed me and I… couldn't take it. I wasn't… strong enough to be there for you and I am so… sorry." Sandra's tears were now streaming down her face. "I've been out of your life for twenty-eight years and I… want to be there for you now London. I have that same hole in my soul." Sandra choked out. "Maybe… you and me… can help each other… be whole again?"

London dropped her head and sobbed open-mouthed and frozen with no sound coming out. She then lifted her head and shook her finger at her mother.

"If you ever leave me again…" London blurted out.

"I won't! I promise I will never leave you again!" Sandra said as she grabbed London and held her as they rocked in each other's arms and wept. In the hallway, two other people silently and openly wept. Maddie and Brandi witnessed the exchange and reunification of mother and daughter. Sandra and London continued to cry and hold each other for several more minutes, telling each other how much they loved and missed each other. After about three or four minutes, London leaned back.

"That's the second outfit I've snotted up today." London said causing them both to chuckle.

"That's okay. This is last year's Versace anyway." Sandra joked causing them both to laugh again as they wiped their tears away.

"Forget Versace. We've got to get you some Ravenesque." London said, referring to Raven's clothing line.

Sandra responded by pulling off one of her cream-colored stilettos and showing London the label. It was Raven's signature "Chelsea" shoe. Nothing but Chelsea and Jimmy Choo goes on these feet, sister!" Sandra said.

London smiled. "Like mother, like daughter." She then embraced her mother again. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, Londie." Sandra said.

"Londie?" London incredulously exclaimed.

"That was my nickname for you as a baby." Sandra said. London's response to her mother's explanation of giving her the same nickname that she gave herself was to hug her mother even tighter.

London held on to her mother for dear life as she silently thanked God for returning her mother to her. It was then that London's "spidey senses" kicked in as she slowly pulled back from her mother.

"We're being watched." London said. "I can't see or hear them but I know they're there." London then called out to those that she believed were watching. "Maddie! Brandi! Come on out! Ollie, Ollie oxen free!"

"You must have a sixth sense or something." Maddie said as she entered the living room with Brandi on her heels.

"That's who Lilly looks like!" Brandi exclaimed. "I've been racking my brain since I met her! She looks like the younger sister of that boy that starred in that movie! What's his name? Haley Joel Something or other."

Maddie looked at Brandi and deadpanned, "Lilly and Haley Joel Osment? I don't see it."

"Anyway…" Brandi started. "Sandra, nice to see you. Thank you for coming. You don't know how much this means to London.

"Oh, I think I do." Sandra said with a smile. Just then, the four women heard the doorbell ring. Moments later they heard it open and seconds after that they heard Lilliputian squeals of delight.

"LINA!" Tonya could be heard yelling from the hallway.

"There's my little Barbie doll!" The voice of a woman could be heard to say. "Richie Rich! Come here, kid! AHHH! You're getting' heavy!" Moments later, the four women in the living room saw the woman appear that matched the voice.

"Oh, hey! Hi! I'm not some weird woman off the street or anything. They… know me." The woman said as a quasi-introduction.

London chuckled. "You must be Paulina. Raven and Chelsea said you'd be coming by. I'm London. Nice to meet you. This is my fiancée Maddie, my stepmother Brandi and my mother Sandra."

"Hi… everyone. Wow! This is like a lesbian's wet dream! Ugh! Sorry. You don't know me that well yet." Paulina said, letting words just spill out of her mouth. She then looked at the little girl she had in her arms before sitting her down and extending her hand. "Paulina… Miklaszewski." She said as she shook each woman's hand.

"That is one heck of a last name. And I thought my name was something!" Maddie said referring to her forty-nine letter monstrosity of a full name.

"It's not that bad. It's pronounced mick-la-chef-ski. The spelling is what kills you." Paulina said. "I had one name like Madonna until the third grade!" She said causing them to laugh. "But it's cool. I like my name. It's just how I used to like my men… long, hard and a mouthful! You know what I'm sayin'!" Everyone cracked up at Paulina's assessment of her own name.

"You are as wild as advertised!" London said laughing. "Let me call Raven and Chelsea and let them know you're here." London went over to the intercom panel to call their suite. She buzzed but got no response. She tried a second time with still no response. After the third buzz, she finally got some feedback.

"_Yes? What is it?"_ An irritated Raven was heard to say.

"I know that tone anywhere. You disturbed a little tête-à-tête." Paulina said. "Allow me. Earmuff it for me guys." Paulina said to Tonya and Richie as she walked over to the panel, signaling to the kids to cover their ears which they did." She then addressed her boss. "Raven, get off of Chelsea and come down here and say hello to me! I did not fly eleven hundred miles to be a shockblocker!"

"_You crazy trick! We'll be down in a minute!" _Raven said happily before the intercom disconnected.

"What's a shockblocker?" Brandi asked.

"Oh, it's like a cockblocker but they're breaking up a lesbian hook-up." Sandra said, shocking everyone in the room. "I… was accused of… doing that once. That's how I know."

"You and I have a lot of catching up to do." London said to her mother in a mock tone of concern.

"Oh! You mean a cuntblocker!" Brandi said. Maddie looked at her and then the kids with her eyes stretched. "What? They're ears are still covered." Paulina then motioned to them to remove their hands from their ears.

"I hate that word. It is so vulgar." Sandra said.

"Yeah, but when you're telling somebody off, it's really effective!" Maddie said.

Seconds later, Raven and Chelsea came bounding into the living room with Raven scooping Tonya up in her arms and Richie latching on the Chelsea's leg as she embraced Paulina.

"Are you down here misbehaving?" Raven asked Paulina as she kissed her cheek.

"Me? No. I'm just making friends." Paulina said.

"Miklaszewski?" Raven said ominously.

"I'm being good, honest! Isn't that right London?" Paulina asked.

"Absolutely." London said as she shook her head no causing everyone to erupt in laughter.

"Oh! Mom, this is Raven Baxter and Chelsea Daniels and their children Tonya and Richie." London said.

"It is an honor to meet the woman whose name is in half the clothes in my closet." Sandra said as she shook Raven's hand.

"Now we just have to work on the other half." Raven joked.

"Chelsea, I was actually at your law firm the other day and I saw your profile picture but it pales in comparison to the real you." Sandra said.

"I think I'm gonna give them one of my glamour shots next time." Chelsea said with a smile as she shook Sandra's hand.

"I knew I'd like you guys." Paulina said. "So… I figure I'll take the kids tonight so y'all can go out and then... after the wedding I'll come grab 'em."

"You won't have to do that." London said. "There's plenty of room here. The three couples each have a suite. Mom, if you don't mind, you and Brandi can share a suite and Paulina and the kids can take the fifth one."

"That's fine with me." Sandra said. "You don't snore do you?" She said to Brandi.

"No. You don't sleep naked, do you?" Brandi asked.

"Chelsea, you're about my size. Can I borrow a nightgown?" Sandra asked. Brandi paused in surprise for a moment. "I'm kidding! My feet get cold. I wear socks." Sandra deadpanned causing a snicker from the group.

"So that settles it…" London started.

"Except… I'm not going to let you sleep in the same bed with your bride the night before the wedding!" Sandra said. "Maddie and I are switching and I'm staying with you tonight. It'll give us a little more mother-daughter bonding time."

"Well, we'll have plenty of time to do that this evening." London said. "This is our last night on the town as single women and I plan on living it up until at least eleven-thirty! And there's one thing that I want to do." London said as she looked at Maddie. "Remember last year, before we had dinner with the Martins?"

"Are you serious?" Maddie asked.

London's response was to start singing. "Cause I'm not here for your entertainment, You don't really want to mess with me tonight…"

"What is she talking about?" Raven asked as London kept singing.

"For our bachelorette party… I think we're doing karaoke." Maddie said.

"Oh this ought to be good!" Chelsea said seconds before the intercom clicked on with a familiar, unexpected and somewhat embarrassing sound.

"_Oh God Lilly! SHIT!"_

The mouths of every woman in the room dropped open as the intimate sounds of Miley and Lilly's lovemaking came to life from the intercom panel as one of the inadvertently pushed the intercom button for the living room.

"The kids… kitchen… more cookies." Brandi said as London scampered back to the panel to try to silence it.

"Right!" Raven said as she and Chelsea whisked the children out of the room.

"_OH FUCK! I'M GONNA C…" _

The intercom then mercifully cut off. Several moments of deafening silence blanketed the living room before anyone summoned the courage to speak.

"I take it that was Lilly and Miley." Paulina said to the group.

"Yeah." Maddie deadpanned before a moment of awkward silence.

"She… sure knows… her four-letter words." Sandra said as more awkward silence followed.

"Yep." London said as she then fell eerily silent.

"Anybody hungry? I need some carbs." Paulina said as she started for the kitchen as everyone else chimed in.

"Starving." "Hungry." "Famished."

As they walked to the entrance of the living room, Maddie turned to London. "We better fix Miley and Lilly a big plate." Maddie said. "They're gonna need their strength after that one."

London simply nodded and smirked as they locked arms and followed the others to the kitchen.

* * *

**Chapter seven is done but there is so much more to go. Karaoke night, the wedding, the return to Boston, the Corrie situation, the cancer gala and so much more is coming up. Strap yourself in. We've got a ways to go. But before we move on…**

**PLEASE REVIEW.**


	8. You'll Sing A Song

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**Author's Note: I have a feeling that this chapter is going to be heaven for some of you and hell for the rest of you. It's karaoke night for the Ladies of Casa Contenta. Eight women, six songs and hopefully a few laughs along the way. If you don't recognize a song, YouTube has the video for each.**

_**You'll Sing a Song**_

_**You'll sing a song and I'll sing a song,**_

_**And we'll sing a song together.**_

_**You'll sing a song and I'll sing a song,**_

_**In warm or wintry weather.**_

_**

* * *

**_

**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 8**_

**You'll Sing a Song**

The ladies made their way down the stairs and to the front door, ready to go out to the special karaoke night that London had planned. She had managed to acquire a VIP room at the largest karaoke bar in the world, which happened to be in Miami. Still remembering what happened to Miley and Lilly out in Malibu, she got assurances from the owner that the integrity of their privacy would be maintained to prevent unauthorized pictures and video of them from being taken, assuring that they could make complete asses of themselves without having the world comment on it the day after.

"Paulina, I feel kinda bad that we're leaving you here." Lilly said.

"Don't worry about me." Paulina countered. "The kids are asleep and I know how to entertain myself. I'll be fine."

"Not quite like the entertainment we had this afternoon in the living room though." Maddie said as everyone but Miley and Lilly laughed.

"What? What did we miss?" Miley inquired.

"Not a damn thing according to what we heard!" Raven said.

"What?" Lilly said. "I wanna know! What did you hear?"

"Oh God Lilly! SHIT!" Raven exclaimed in her best Miley voice. Miley's face grew ashen in an instant.

Lilly put her hands up to her face and muttered into her palms. "Holy shit." She said in a muffled mutter.

"I knew we'd eventually catch you two, but damn!" Maddie said laughing.

"Lilly, you da man. That's all I have to say." London said with a smirk.

"What… else did you hear?" Lilly asked as she looked over a speechless and obviously embarrassed Miley.

"Let's just say that the intercom cut off just before Miley tripped the light fantastic." Chelsea said.

"Who puts an intercom button that close to the fucking bed anyway?" An irritated and still embarrassed Miley spat to the amusement of them all.

"Don't sweat it girl. We've all been caught now so we're even." Raven said.

"They haven't been." Chelsea said pointing to Brandi and Sandra.

"They're not sleeping with each other Chels. They don't count. That was a couples statement." Raven offered.

"And not to mention that they are my mothers – step and biological – and the thought of that is just nasty." London said.

"London. Are you creeped out that your hot mother and your hot stepmother do the do? And do it well by the looks of them." Raven teased.

"Why thank you Raven." Sandra said. "I do like to drop it like it's hot every now and then." That statement caused all the women except London to laugh and catcall.

"Come on guys! That's my mother!" London whined.

"Lighten up L.T! Your mom's a freak!" Raven said. "I know my mom's a freak. So is Chelsea's! Brandi? Are you a freak?"

"The freakier, the better!" Brandi said.

Raven then punctuated her point by borrowing the melody from the old Dr. Pepper commercial and singing it. "I'm a freak, she's a freak, she's a freak and she's a freak, wouldn't you like to be a freak too!" Everyone cracked up laughing. Even London, who was trying to remain serious, couldn't help but laugh at the nuttiness of her friend from New York.

"You sure you're gonna be all right, Miss P?" Chelsea said to Paulina.

"I'll be fine! Have fun." Paulina said just as the doorbell rang. "Sounds like my entertainment is here." Raven and Chelsea looked at each other then at the other women who shrugged their shoulders. When the door opened, there stood an attractive Caucasian woman that was about Paulina's age with long brown hair and an athletic build. Paulina smiled. "Hey you."

"Hey. Is this a bad… time?" The woman said.

"No you're right on time." Paulina said as the woman stepped inside. One of the servants of the house closed the door and took her jacket. "This is Erin. I met her downtown this morning. Erin, this is Raven, Chelsea, Maddie, London, Miley, Lilly, Sandra and Brandi."

"Hi Erin." The women said, their words falling on top of each other.

"Nice to meet all of you." Erin said.

"Ohmigod! Rae, she looks just like Dana from The L Word!" Chelsea said.

"Wow! Chels, you're right! And her name is Erin too!" Raven said. "You're not her are you?"

"No. I get that all the time." Erin said with a slightly sheepish but endearing smile.

"Huh. Alice and Dana together again. What are the odds?" Maddie asked, referring to Paulina and Erin's striking resemblance to the L Word characters.

"Get out! Go… butcher songs badly!" Paulina said to the group as they laughed and chatted as they headed for the awaiting limo.

As she walked past Paulina, Raven leaned over and whispered, "Don't wake my children up with your debauchery."

"Get out! Crazy… nut!" Paulina exclaimed with a smile as the ladies filed out. She stepped forward and stood next to Erin as the two of them watched the ladies begin to pile into the car. When the front door to the house closed, Paulina turned to Erin. "I thought they'd never leave!" Paulina then pressed her lips to Erin's for a kiss. "Want some wine… Dana?"

"Don't mind if I do… Alice." Erin joked.

They started walking toward the kitchen. "I should have bought those Love Boat outfits I saw today." Paulina said, referencing Alice and Dana's "Love Boat" scene.

"I've got two at my place." Erin said.

Paulina smiled. "I knew I was gonna like you."

The limo sped off on the twenty-minute journey to the karaoke bar that London had commandeered for the night. The ladies went back and forth about a bunch of different subjects.

"You know it's funny that you mentioned The L Word at the house, Rae." Miley said. "My agent just gave me this script. Showtime just green lighted an L Word movie."

"For real?" Raven said. "But… that show went off, like, ten years ago!"

"They've been trying to get it off the ground for the last few years but they couldn't get the entire original cast back." Miley said. "They're centering it around Bette and Tina's daughter, Angelica. In the new story she's around my age."

"So what role did they have in mind for you?" London asked.

"Her love interest." Miley said. "They don't even want me to audition. They said it's mine if I want it."

"Wow! That's awesome!" Maddie said.

"She's not sure she'd be comfortable being intimate on screen with somebody." Lilly said. "I told her as long as she comes home to me and doesn't "rehearse" her scenes with her co-star, then I'm cool with it."

"Who's playing Angelica?" Chelsea asked.

"Keisha Castle-Hughes." Miley said.

"Nice choice." Raven said. "She looks like she could be Jennifer Beals' daughter."

"Did they get any of the original people to sign?" Maddie asked.

"They got Jennifer Beals and Laurel Holloman." Miley said. "They're talking to Leisha Hailey and Kate Moennig."

"What's The L Word without Shane?" Chelsea said. "And if they can't get Leisha Hailey, they can always get Paulina."

"Isn't that freaky how much she looks like her?" Lilly said.

"I know! And with Erin looking like Dana? Weird!" Miley said.

"Okay, ladies! We have arrived!" London exclaimed, announcing their presence at Studio, described as the biggest Karaoke club in the world. The limo pulled up to the VIP entrance in the back where two large security guards opened the door to the limo and escorted the ladies to a private elevator leading to the second floor VIP room.

"I want to get drunk and sing my ass off!" Raven said.

"That's a hell of a lot of singing!" London joked.

"Shut up, Wendy Wu!" Raven shot back playfully.

"You know what happens when you get drunk." Chelsea said in a hushed tone. "You get touchy-feely."

Raven lowered her voice to equal Chelsea's tone. "And you get laid. Quite well I might add."

"THE LADY WILL HAVE A DOUBLE HERE TO START!" Chelsea called out to the unseen-as-of-yet private bartender.

"Just don't get too hung-over. The wedding's at ten." London said.

"That's not too early." Miley said.

"Just late enough to get a little plastered tonight!" Lilly said. "It's been a while."

"I don't know. Last time I got drunk I mooned the Indian statue outside a cigar store." Brandi said.

Everyone laughed. "Now that's drunk!" Maddie said.

The ladies took their seats and their personal bartender took their drink orders. After a round, the women were just about ready to whet their singing chops.

"All right. Who's first?" London asked the group.

"I think since it's your party, you should go first." Lilly said.

"Yeah!" Raven exclaimed. "Lon-don, Lon-don!" Everybody joined in the chanting.

"Blondie, you're coming too!" London said as she stood up and pulled Maddie to her feet. "You know what time it is!"

"What are y'all gonna sing?" Miley asked.

"A little something we sang in the car last year." London said as the song was loaded. The women started cheering as the opening notes of Pink's U Ur Hand blared through the speakers.

London started the song. "Check it out, Going out, On the late night, Looking tight, Feeling nice, It's a cock fight, I can tell, I just know, That it's going down, Tonight…"

Maddie continued. "At the door we don't wait cause we know them, At the bar six shots just beginning, That's when dickhead put his hands on me, But you see… EVERYBODY!"

The whole group joined in. "I'm not here for your entertainment, You don't really want to mess with me tonight, Just stop and take a second, I was fine before you walked into my life, Cause you know it's over, Before it begins, Keep your drink just give me the money, just you and your hand tonighT…"

The ladies finished that song with gusto as the whole group whooped and hollered as they performed. When the song was over, London and Maddie hugged on stage and came off to the first of what was going to be several standing ovations that evening.

"That never gets old!" London said as she grabbed a napkin to wipe her brow.

"I forgot how fun it was singing that song!" Maddie said. "You know London, your voice is getting better!"

"Three of my best friends and my woman can sing. I better improve my singing!" London said, referring to the voices of Raven, Chelsea and Miley before adding. "Sorry, Lilly."

"Hey!" Lilly exclaimed.

"Actually… Actually, she's not that bad. I've been working with her." Miley said.

"I bet you have!" Raven said.

"Seriously! She's getting pretty good." Miley countered.

"All right. Prove it." Raven said before standing up. "Now coming to the stage…"

"I'm going too. Wait!" Miley said as she hopped up and went over to the machine to find the song for them.

Raven continued her introduction. "Performing something that will prove, or disprove, Lilly's singing prowess… The Singing Stewarts!"

Upon hearing the opening notes of the song, all of the women had the same thought.

"AWWWW!" The women cooed.

"I knew they'd pick a love song." Chelsea said with a smile as the women readied themselves for Miley and Lilly's rendition of Diana Ross and Lionel Richie's Endless Love.

Miley kicked it off. "My love, There's only you in my life, The only thing that's bright..."

Then Lilly joined her. "My first love, You're every breath that I take, You're every step I make…"

Miley: "And I…"

Lilly: "I-I-I-I-I…"

Miley: "I want to share…"

Both: "All my love with you…"

Miley: "No one else will do…"

Lilly: "And your eyes…"

Miley: "Your eyes, your eyes…"

Both: "They tell me how much you care… Ooh yes, you will always be… My endless love…"

"AWWWWW!" The women cooed again at the break in the lyrics.

Lilly and Miley continued the song, gazing lovingly into each others eyes, not needing the words on the screen. They rolled along punctuating the song with a sweet and tender finish.

Both: "And, YES, You'll be the only one, 'Cause NO one can deny, This love I have inside, And I'll give it all to you…"

Miley: "My love…"

Lilly: "My love, my love…"

Both: "My endless love."

They finished the song to the overwhelming cheers of the other six women as they touched foreheads and smiled from ear-to-ear, giving each other a soft, chaste kiss before leaving the stage and being embraced by all as they came back to the table.

"That… was so… sweet!" Brandi said.

"No doubt about their love." Sandra said.

"All right! Damn all that mushy stuff! It's showtime!" Raven announced as she stood up. "Now all of you might ask yourselves, 'Why does Chelsea love Raven so much?'. Well now, you're gonna find out." Raven said before walking over to the machine and punching in her selection.

"Raven. Don't go there." Chelsea said in a playfully ominous tone.

"Oh, I'm going there." Raven said just as the opening notes of the song hit. "I take you back to Sunday, February 19, 2006, Berkeley, California, the campus of The University of California at Berkeley, and the night that Chelsea discovered that she… was Crazy In Love."

Raven began. "I look and stare so deep in your eyes, I touch on you more and more every time, When you leave I'm beggin' you not to go, Call your name two, three times in a row…"

"GO RAVEN, GO RAVEN!"

"Such a funny thing for me to try to explain, How I'm feeling and my pride is the one to blame, Yeah, cause I know I don't understand, Just how your love can do what no on else can… Got me lookin' so crazy right now, Your love's got me lookin' so crazy right now  
(your love), Got me lookin' so crazy right now your touch's, Got me lookin' so crazy right now (your touch), Got me hoping you page me right now your kiss's, Got me hoping you save me right now… HERE IT COMES, CHELS! HERE IT COMES, CHELS! YOU READY? YOU READY?

It was then that Raven launched into the move that spun Chelsea's world out of control on that February night twelve years earlier… the booty pop.

"Uh-oh, Uh-oh, Uh-oh, I wanna… Uh-oh, Uh-oh, Uh-oh, I wanna… Uh-oh, Uh-oh, Uh-oh, I wanna… Uh-oh, Uh-oh, Uh-oh, I wanna…"

Chelsea turned a deep crimson as she started fanning herself with an imaginary fan. Twelve years might have passed since Raven first turned her on with that dance, but Chelsea's reaction proved that Raven hadn't lost her touch.

Raven finished her set to the cheers and whistles of everyone and received a huge embrace and swat on the backside from her loving wife.

"You know you're gonna get it tonight." Chelsea whispered.

Raven grinned. "I know, babe. I know."

"Chels, I know you've got an answer for that!" London said.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Chelsea said in a tone that was icy, yet sexually charged. She walked over to the machine and punched up her selection. "Raven, pay very close attention and remember… you made me do this."

"WHOOOOAAA!" The ladies reacted to the gauntlet Chelsea threw down.

They all heard the opening notes of a song that sounded like R&B-infused traditional Asian music followed by a sultry beat. Everybody racked their brain to figure out what the song was. Raven immediately recognized it.

"Uhh… Chels? Can we talk about this?" Raven said, remembering a private show Chelsea gave her years earlier using the same song.

"No. Take your teasing like a woman." Chelsea purred just before launching into her version of the song, substituting a woman for the man in Christina Milian's Dip It Low. "She says she wants you, she says she needs you, It's real talk, then why not make her wait for you, If she really wants you, if she really needs you, Really got to have you, Take your time and feel her out, When she's a good girl, I mean a really, really good girl, Why not let her lay with you, That's when you give it to her good…"

Chelsea's performance was eye-opening for the other women who didn't realize just how sexy she could be.

"I feel like we should leave them alone!" Maddie said to the group as they watched Chelsea's suggestive dance moves.

"Gimme that!" Raven said as she grabbed the nearest drink to her and threw it back as Chelsea reached the chorus.

"Dip it low, Pick it up slow, Roll it all around, Poke it out like your back broke, Pop, pop, pop that thing, I'ma show you how to make your girl say "Oh!" Dip it low, Pick it up slow, Roll it all around, Poke it out like your back broke, Pop, pop, pop that thing, I'ma show you how to make your girl say "Oh!"

Raven's mouth seemed to grow drier by the minute as she took another drink from the table and guzzled it. Chelsea had successfully sprung her for the evening. When Chelsea finished her song, she received a standing ovation and playful reverential bowing from several of the women.

Maddie grabbed her by the arm and pulled her close. "If Raven EVER misbehaves, you call me and bring that song and that dance with you!" Maddie said causing the beautiful redhead to laugh and hug her.

"YOU are so dead!" Raven said with a look of alcohol-fueled lust in her eyes. Chelsea simply smirked and took a swig of what was left in Raven's glass.

"All right! Which one of you two is next?" London said to Brandi and Sandra followed by a loud hiccup. "That means I'm almost full! ANOTHER TEQUILA RIGHT HERE!"

Brandi leaned over to Sandra and whispered something. Sandra listened intently and began nodding and whispered, "I like that. Let's do it."

"We've got something for y'all!" Brandi said. "I know y'all will love it."

Sandra started singing with the opening note of the song. "Now I've had the time of my life, No I never felt like this before, Yes I swear it's the truth, and I owe it all to you…"

Lilly started clapping her approval to one of her favorite songs of all time from the movie Dirty Dancing, I've Had The Time Of My Life, by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes.

Brandi took Jennifer Warnes' part. "Cause I've had the time of my life  
and I owe it all to you…"

When the synthesized bass line started, all the women whooped and stood up to begin dancing.

Sandra: I've been waiting for so long  
Now I've finally found someone  
To stand by me

Brandi: We saw the writing on the wall  
As we felt this magical fantasy

Both: Now with passion in our eyes  
There's no way we could disguise it secretly  
So we take each other's hand  
'Cause we seem to understand the urgency

Sandra: just remember

Brandi: You're the one thing

Sandra: I can't get enough of

Brandi: So I'll tell you something

Both: This could be love because…

Everyone joined in on the chorus. "I've had the time of my life, No I never felt this way before, Yes I swear it's the truth, And I owe it all to you, 'Cause I've had the time of my life, And I've searched through every open door, 'Til I found the truth, And I owe it all to you…"

The women continued letting loose and dancing and singing up to the instrumental part when the let the song play as they danced and acted like silly teenagers for the first time in years. When the song slowed down temporarily, so did they.

Sandra: Now I've had the time of my life, No I never felt this way before (never felt this way) Yes I swear it's the truth… (song picked back up) and I owe it all to you…

Everyone finished the chorus. "I've had the time of my life, No I never felt this way before, Yes I swear it's the truth, And I owe it all to you, 'Cause I've had the time of my life, And I've searched through every open door, 'Til I found the truth, And I owe it all to you"

At the end of the song, the women were in the highest spirit imaginable. They had love – the love of spouses, the love of fiancées, the love of mothers and daughter. Maddie and London looked at each other and smiled as they embraced. This was the best bachelorette party they could have imagined.

"Who needs strippers to have a good time? We've got our friends and we've got each other." London whispered underneath the noise that everyone else was making.

"That's the way it should be." Maddie said softly before pressing her lips to London's ear. "Meet me in the bathroom in three minutes." Maddie said in a low, raspy tone of unmistakable intent.

"K." London acknowledged just before pulling away, allowing Maddie to go to the ladies' room.

"Maddie! Come back! You're gonna miss… something!" Lilly said in a slight slurred voice, proof of her level of inebriation.

"I think… we need to cut her off." Miley said in a voice that was only slightly more coherent than Lilly's.

"Y'all have got to learn how to hold your liquor…" Raven started before pointing toward the bathroom area. "Or pee it out like Maddie."

"I vote for holding it and letting it simmer." Brandi said.

"You let soup simmer. You let pasta sauce simmer. You don't let pee simmer. You just… let it go." Chelsea said.

"Such a funny word – pee." Lilly said. "Pee, pee, pee, pee, pee. Peepee!"

"Okay, remove all liquid from her reach, right now!" Raven said in a playfully stern voice.

"Are you drunk Rae?" Chelsea asked.

"Nope. Just tipsy enough to tell you that I'm playing your dance routine in my head over and over again." Raven said.

"I think all of us are." London said, before glancing at her watch. Her three minutes were almost up.

"Even us straight women!" Sandra said, causing everyone at the table to laugh.

"Would y'all excuse me?" London said. "I want to see if Maddie's all right." London then stood up from the table and headed for the restroom.

"DON'T FALL IN!" Raven called out. "She gon' fall in all right… fall in Maddie's pussy!" Raven said, setting off another round of laughter. "SOMEBODY PLAY ANOTHER SONG! I feel like doing some more dancing… work some of this alcohol out of my system."

With that, Miley went over to the machine and called up one of her favorites. When Lilly heard the beginning of the song, she shot up out of her seat.

"I LOVE THIS SONG!" Lilly said. "I loved it in that movie Stepmom!" She was talking about Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's Ain't No Mountain High Enough. "Listen, baby, Ain't no mountain high, Ain't no valley low, Ain't no river wide enough, baby…"

Miley matched Tammi Terrell's soulful voice note for note. "If you need me, call me, No matter where you are, No matter how far, Just call my name, I'll be there in a hurry, You don't have to worry…

Just as London stepped into the bathroom and spotted Maddie glaring sexily at her, Miley and Lilly hit the chorus.

CHORUS

_'Cause baby,  
There ain't no mountain high enough  
Ain't no valley low enough  
Ain't no river wide enough  
To keep me from getting to you_

London and Maddie came together, frantically fusing their lips together, holding on to each other for dear life, kissing each other as if it were their last time.

_Remember the day  
I set you free  
I told you  
You could always count on me  
From that day on I made a vow  
I'll be there when you want me  
Some way, some how_

Maddie stepped forward, pushing London's back into the door as both of them blindly reached for the lock as they continued their frenetic kissing and groping.

_'Cause baby,  
There ain't no mountain high enough  
Ain't no valley low enough  
Ain't no river wide enough  
To keep me from getting to you_

They stumbled back toward the other side of the bathroom, both of them trying to reach inside the underwear of the other. They both gasped and whimpered as they reached their designated target.

_Oh no, darlin'_

_No wind, no rain_

Their rhythm was fast and furious as they attempted to bring each other to a satisfying climax in record time.

_All winters cold  
Can't stop me baby (No No Baby)  
'Cause you are my goal  
If you're ever in trouble  
I'll be there on the double  
Just send for me oh baby._

The intensity of their lovemaking had them rolling along the wall on the far side of the bathroom as they completely lost themselves in each other.

_My love is alive  
Way down in my heart  
Although we are miles apart_

_If you ever need a helping hand  
I'll be there on the double  
Just as fast as I can_

"Oh my God London! Shit!" Maddie whispered in breathless exasperation. London's response was shallow and sexy panting.

"Ma… ddie! Fu… Damn!" London panted.

_Don't you know that  
There ain't no mountain high enough  
Ain't no valley low enough  
Ain't no river wide enough  
To keep me from getting to you_

"AHHHH! AHHHH! AHHHH! AHHHH!" Their stunningly quick orgasms were one on top of each other causing them to grip the other woman as tightly as they ever had before.

_Don't you know that  
There ain't no mountain high enough  
Ain't no valley low enough  
Ain't no river wide enough  
To keep me from getting to you_

"Ohmigod!" London said with what little wind she had left.

"Just wait until tomorrow night I make love to my wife for the first time." Maddie said in a breathless whisper.

London bit her bottom lip in anticipation. "I… can wait."

After several minutes of fixing up, London and Maddie re-emerged from the bathroom. As they reached the table, the women were engaged in a spirited conversation of which was better, sugar, Equal® or Splenda®.

"Hey guys!" London said as she and Maddie sat down.

"Feelin' better Maddie?" Chelsea asked.

"Much. Thanks." Maddie responded.

"We had the wrong Marvin song playin' just now." Raven said. "Shoulda been 'Let's get it on, ahhhh baby, let's get it on!'" All the women howled with laughter.

"Shut up Raven!" London said.

"That's what we shoulda played. That's all I'm sayin'." Raven mumbled as the other women snickered.

"I don't mean to be a mom, but let's get out of here. We've got a wedding tomorrow morning." Sandra said.

"Yeah. Let's get out of here." London said as the women started to get up from the table.

"Oh yeah! That's why we're here." A still intoxicated Lilly said.

Miley picked her up to her feet. "Come on my little lush. Let's go get you some air." She said as they headed for the door.

"Madeline Margaret Genevieve Miranda Catherine Fitzpatrick… Tipton." Maddie said warmly. "Has a nice ring to it."

"It'll be the best fifty-eight letter name I've ever heard." London said. "Although Maddie rolls off the tongue better." Just then, Raven turned to comment on the potential double entendre. "Shut up Raven!" London caught her before she started. "Women. You can't live with 'em…"

"But it's sure as hell fun trying!" Maddie said.

London looked at Maddie and smiled. "Amen to that sister! Amen."

* * *

**U Ur Hand - Pink – from the album **_**I'm Not Dead**_** – released October 2006 - LaFace Records**

**Endless Love – Diana Ross and Lionel Richie – from **_**Endless Love: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack**_** – released August 1981 – Motown Records**

**Crazy In Love – Beyoncé – from the album **_**Dangerously In Love**_** – released July 2003 – Columbia Records**

**Dip It Low – Christina Milian – from the album **_**It's About Time**_** – released 2004 – Island Records**

**I've Had The Time Of My Life – Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes – from the **_**Dirty Dancing**_** soundtrack – released 1987 – RCA Records**

**Ain't No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gay and Tammi Terrell – from the album **_**United**_** – released April 1967 – Tamla (Motown) Records**


	9. You Are My Everything

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**Author's Note: The wedding of London and Maddie is at hand. Consider this your invitation.**

**

* * *

**

**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 9**_

**You Are My Everything**

Thank goodness for Sandra Kwon. If she hadn't shown up for her daughter's wedding, the wedding might not have taken place given the imbibery that took place the night before. Sandra had been up since 5:30, the adrenaline running through her causing her to wake up. As she looked at the clock, it now read 6:45 and she hadn't heard anyone so much as roll over during her patrolling of the hallway. She decided that the first person she would put in her wake-up call crosshairs would be her roommate, Brandi. Sandra walked over to the Brandi's side of the bed and gently shook Brandi's shoulder.

"Brandi, wake up." Sandra whispered to no avail. "Brandi. Wake up, Brandi." Sandra's second attempt at waking her up had no effect. "Come on Brandi, wake up." Sandra again gently shook Brandi and called to her, receiving no response. Just before she attempted a fourth wake-up call, Brandi rolled over.

"Nieman's is running a sale on… couture…" Brandi mumbled in her sleep before drifting back into a fully unconscious state. It was then that Sandra had an idea. She knelt down and whispered in Brandi's ear.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Tipton, but that credit card has reached its limit." Sandra said in a polite but detached voice.

Brandi shot up bolt straight in the bed. "The hell it is! That's a platinum American Express!" Brandi then focused on where she was. "Huh?" She then looked over at Sandra who was rising to her feet chuckling. "That was a dirty trick!"

Sandra was still chuckling as she handed Brandi her robe. "I'm sorry. It was the only way to wake you up. You're a sound sleeper."

"Yeah, well… what time is it?" Brandi inquired.

"Ten to seven and nobody's awake." Sandra said.

"Well, everybody did throw more than a few back last night." Brandi said.

"Well, it's time for them to get over it and wake up. We've got a wedding this morning." Sandra said before picking up the phone and calling downstairs. "I need eight special hangover remedies a la Sandra. Here's how you make them…" Sandra proceeded to give the kitchen the necessary instructions. "That's good. Yes, thank you." Sandra said before turning to Brandi. "That should do it. Now, time to wake up our little Rip Van Winkettes."

Deciding that the intercom was not going to do, Sandra walked out into the hall and began knocking on doors. "RISE AND SHINE! IT'S WEDDING DAY!" She was met by a series of groans from the other side of the three doors she knocked on.

"GO AWAY!" "I'M STILL DRUNK!" "NO OFFENSE, BUT SHUT UP!"

When the fourth door, the one to the two-room master suite that Paulina occupied, opened, Sandra was surprised by who walked out.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know it was so late. Let me get out of your way." A disheveled Erin, Paulina's friend from the night before, said.

"No problem… Erin, right?" Sandra said.

"Right. Look, Paulina's still asleep so could you tell her that… I'll call her?" Erin said in a hushed tone.

"No problem. Take care." Sandra said. "Oh! There's some coffee in the kitchen. Grab some on your way out." Erin threw her hand up to wave behind her as she disappeared down the hallway and around the corner.

Sandra then spun around on her heels and headed for London and Maddie's suite, flinging the door open when she arrived. "Look. You two are lucky we got back so late and I let you bunk together for the night, but you two have got get up and get ready for your own wedding!"

Maddie was lying on her back with London lying on her stomach with her arm draped over Maddie's stomach. They were both underneath the sheet and comforter. Without opening her eyes, Maddie was the first to respond.

"London, can I tell you something and you not get mad?" Maddie asked groggily.

"Yeah." London said, her answer muffled partially by the half of her face that was on the mattress.

"Your mom is a pest in the morning." Maddie said with her eyes still closed.

Without moving London replied, "No shit."

"Okay, fine." Sandra said. "You two stay here and we'll have the ceremony right here in the bedroom with you two… like that." With that, London slowly rolled over onto her back.

"Okay, you win." London said with a gravelly voice as Sandra walked over to the curtains and opened them. "Uhh, I think I'm gonna be sick." London said seconds before feeling her stomach flip twice causing her to quickly slide out of bed. She then realized she was naked. "Oh God!" She jumped back in the bed before her mother turned around but then felt her stomach flip again and decided that modesty be damned. "Sorry you gotta see this Mom but I can't wait!" London hopped out of bed again and ran to the bathroom.

"That's okay! I've seen you naked before… as a baby!" Sandra managed to get out just before hearing London throw up. Maddie simply put her hands over her face in resignation.

"Well, this wedding is going to start late." Sandra said as she put her hands on her hips.

"NO!" London said just before depositing a second batch of her stomach's contents into the bowl. "My wedding… will not… be late!" London said with as much defiance as her rebellious stomach would allow. "I'll be done… in a minute."

"Maddie? Are you okay?" Sandra asked.

"Not to sound to stereotypical…" Maddie began in a sluggish, tired voice. "But I'm Irish Catholic. For my fifth birthday, my father gave me a Barbie doll and a fifth of Guinness. I'll be fine."

"I hate you!" London called out from the bathroom.

"I love you too Princess!" Maddie called back.

"Well you two have ten minutes to pull yourselves together and come down to the kitchen. They've got something to make you feel all better." Sandra said before turning to walk out.

Ten minutes later, on cue and with Sandra and Brandi waiting, London and Maddie trudged into the kitchen, looking as if they went twelve rounds with Mike Tyson in his prime… and lost. Moments later, Miley and Lilly came in followed seconds later by Raven, Chelsea and Paulina.

"Good morning ladies!" Sandra said in a chipper voice. The seven women groaned. "You say that now, but you won't in a few minutes."

"Why are you so... what am I trying to say… not hung over?" Raven asked.

"I talked a lot and didn't drink as much as you foolhardy young ladies. But that's okay. You'll be back to yourselves in no time." Sandra said.

"I doubt that." Miley grumbled.

"Ahh, ye of little faith. Sit." Sandra said as they all went to take seats at the dining table in the kitchen. "I take it you all drink coffee." The women nodded and verbalized their positive responses. One of the members of the kitchen staff brought eight cups of steaming coffee for everyone except Sandra.

Raven, loving her morning cup of Joe, took a swig and had an immediate reaction as a coffee hit the back of her throat. Milliseconds later the other women had the same reaction as several of them coughed.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS SHIT?" Raven bellowed. "That is strong as hell!"

"Are you trying to kill us?" London said.

"That is my special hangover blend." Sandra said. "You grind together Columbian, Hawai'i an, Indonesian, Kenyan and Italian beans and hit it with a double shot of espresso and a splash of Five Hour Energy."

Raven looked at Sandra as if she were crazy. "You know Rae…" Chelsea said. "Once you get past the first sip, it's okay. And my sinuses are clearing up!"

"Down the hatch." Lilly said as she raised her mug and took a big swig. "AAAAGGGHHHH! Now that… will put some hair on your chest!"

"Aww, hell! I'm not lettin' a skinny white girl outdo me!" Raven said as she picked up her mug and took another swig. As the blend hit her system, Raven slapped the table several times. "Oh my God, I'm gonna die!" Raven said.

"Come on. We've gotta get it together for London and Maddie." Miley said before taking a big gulp followed by the other women.

"My headache is going away!" Raven said.

"I don't believe this. My stomach stopped flipping!" London said.

"And because you all were so out of it, the extra caffeine won't hype you up, it'll just bring you back to normal." Sandra said.

"What about when we crash?" Maddie asked.

"That's what the Five Hour Energy is for." Sandra said. "Now we've got less than three hours to get nine women ready for a wedding so can we please get moving?"

"I… didn't bring a dress. I didn't think I was coming. I was gonna call Erin and…" Paulina started.

"That's silly." London said. There are dresses of just about every size upstairs. Just pick one. You are so invited. Right Maddie?"

"Of course you are! We weren't gonna leave you out. That would have been cruel." Maddie said.

"Thanks guys! I love femme weddings!" Paulina said.

Raven leaned over to Chelsea. "That's Alice Piezecki, I swear it is." She whispered as they started walking back to the stairs, referring to Paulina's uncanny resemblance to the L Word character.

"Hey Raven?" Sandra called out. Raven and Chelsea stopped and turned around. "Anyone ever tell you that you look like the little girl from The Cosby Show?"

Raven looked at Chelsea and raised her eyebrow with a "here we go again" look on her face. "No Sandra. I've never heard that one before." Raven said with flat sarcasm before turning and continuing toward the stairs before muttering to Chelsea. "Fuckin' Olivia, I swear!"

London had the foresight to buy different size dresses and shoes to assure the proper fit for everyone involved. For all of the extravagance of her youth and the expense for the anniversary/wedding excursion, she chose simple white linen dresses for the ceremony. I London's mind, she didn't need anything special. She had already cornered the market on special with Maddie.

As she sat at the vanity in the palatial bathroom, she stared at herself in the mirror and thought back to the follies of her youth – dressing up as a mermaid in an attempt to win Lance back, her school parenting project disaster with Maddie, the failed attempt at a book club, and a webcast, and a clothing boutique. Just as her mind switched to the good feelings that she had, her train of thought was interrupted.

"You okay?" Maddie said softly as she walked in to the bathroom in a white terrycloth robe.

"Yeah. I was just reminiscing." London said.

"Good things I hope." Maddie said with a smile.

"Can I ask you a question?" London asked.

"Sure." Maddie replied.

"When was the moment that you knew you were in love with me?" London inquired.

"When I went to camp and you came to rescue me from the girls from hell in your helicopter." Maddie said, making London laugh at the remembrance. "Even though you went to the spa before you came to get me…"

"It was the massage therapist." London corrected.

"Whatever." Maddie said with a playful nudge. "But, I already had some feelings for you I was dealing with, but that kinda put it over the top for me." London smiled. "What about you?"

"When you came back from Antarctica or wherever the hell it was you went." London said. Maddie laughed. "I missed you a lot more than I thought I would."

"You called me and I quote, 'Hideous Hair Maddie'!" Maddie exclaimed.

"It was easier to make fun of you than to tell you the truth… that I loved you and missed you and never wanted you to leave again." London said sweetly. "Besides, I've always loved your hair. I've always wanted to know what it was like to be a blonde."

"You as a blonde?" Maddie questioned. "Well, you did say some blonde things in your day. But brunette is definitely your thing. And anyway, Blondie is my nickname."

"Yes it is. And even if you changed your hair color, we could always check…" London then waved her hand in the vicinity of Maddie's bikini area.

"You nasty little…!" Maddie exclaimed as London giggled. "I have never done anything more right in my life."

London paused. "Me either." London then broke into a broad grin. "I'm going to be Mrs. London Tipton-Fitzpatrick!"

"No buddy! I am not saddling you with that name! My family is nuts!" Maddie proclaimed.

"But your father and sister are so sweet." London said.

"Yeah, but Miranda is not." Maddie said, referring to her mother.

"You hypocrite." London said. "You had me swallow my pride and make up with my mother. Now the first thing you're gonna do when you get back to Boston is go and make peace with her. If nothing else, for the sake of our future children."

"I hate it when you're right." Maddie said.

"All lawyers do." London shot back. "Now let's finished getting dressed before General Kwon comes in here with a bayonet or something." Maddie leaned over and gave London a quick peck on the lips before retreating to the door. "Hey! Is that all I get?"

"We're not married yet! What kind of a girl do you think I am?" Maddie teased.

"The type of girl that should be wearing a black dress down the aisle. I mean deep black." London joked causing Maddie to crack up. "I mean outer space, black hole black."

"I get the point! Moron." Maddie said laughing as she disappeared.

London turned back to face the mirror and took one long last look at herself. "I am the luckiest woman on earth."

At about five minutes to ten, Sandra could be heard knocking on doors again, calling everyone out into the hallway. She had told London and Maddie to stay put until she came to get them.

"Who would be doing this if your mom didn't show up?" Maddie asked. London looked at Maddie with a matter-of-fact look on her face before the light clicked on in Maddie's head and they said in unison, "Raven." Seconds later there was a knock at the door.

"You girls ready?" Sandra asked as she was followed in by Brandi.

"Ready as we're ever gonna be." London said. "Thank you Mom… and Mom for everything. I'm glad you're here." London, Brandi and Sandra smiled. Maddie squeezed out a small smile but it was evident that a painful expression lay beneath the surface. Realizing what she just said, London winced and took Maddie by the hand. "Blondie, I'm sorry. I know your mother isn't here." Maddie's eyes glazed over with tears as Brandi stepped forward and dabbed her eyes with a tissue. "But look, I have two mothers here. I'm sure Brandi will be happy to be your surrogate mother for the ceremony."

"That won't be necessary London."

London and Maddie lifted their heads and had their jaws drop in stunned disbelief at the sound of the Irish accented voice. Dressed in a white linen dress and standing in the doorway was none other than Maddie's mother, Miranda Fitzpatrick.

"It's not everyday that your baby girl gets married."

"Mom? What… are you doing here?" Maddie asked incredulously. London looked over at Sandra with her mouth wide open. Sandra simply winked. Brandi flashed a sly grin.

"Standin' in front of my daughter with my tail tucked between my legs." Miranda said. "Your father and I may have our issues, but I know that that man loves me with all his heart, and that sustains me. It makes me feel warm inside. Even when I'm actin' like a royal bitch to him, he makes me feel… well, like a court jester at times, but when he's done jokin' I know where his heart is." Maddie sat up straight and stiffened in an attempt to keep her emotions in check. "I have always wanted my girls to have that feeling. I know that Genevieve has it with Aaron. And every time I look at London… I know that you have it too."

Miranda then shifted her focus momentarily to London. "I was waiting to look into your eyes and see, well, nothing. But every time I looked at you look at my Madeline and she would look at you, I saw it. I saw that warmth, that comfort, that… love. I'd be a fool not to want that for my daughter. You're not exactly in the package I had in mind for the love of Maddie's life… but I don't think she coulda made a better choice."

"Thank you, Mrs. Fitzpatrick." London said with tears in her eyes.

"It's Miranda." Miranda said. "And you're welcome." Miranda looked at Maddie. "Madeline?" Maddie looked up at her mother, her tears on the edge but still had not yet fallen. "I'm sorry for not being there for you when you needed me."

"See Mom…" Maddie started as two tears finally streamed down Maddie's cheeks. "You're wrong again." Maddie said and let hang in the air for a moment. It was then that her emotions got the best of her as she barely eked out, "You're here now", just before she broke out into a full sob as she stood and met her mother in an embrace. It was then that the normally unflappable Miranda Fitzpatrick was also brought to tears.

A moment or two passed before another figure stepped into the room and proclaimed, "Well since London gets two female relatives in her corner, I get to even the score."

Maddie opened her tear-filled eyes. "Genny!" Maddie exclaimed upon seeing her older sister Genevieve, also dressed in white linen. Genny walked over and made the hug a three-way hug.

London walked over to Brandi and Sandra. "I know you two were behind this. You are amazing." London said as she engaged her mothers in a tearful embrace.

"All I did was call your pilot. Brandi talked to her mom." Sandra said.

"All right! Everybody! We've got people downstairs waiting, so dry your tears and let's get going!" Brandi announced.

"I love you so much." Maddie said to her mother.

"I love you too Darlin'." Miranda said. "I am still getting grandkids, aren't I?" Maddie laughed and squeezed her mother tightly.

Roughly ten minutes later, London, Maddie, Miranda, Brandi and Sandra descended the staircase and headed for the doors that led to the outdoor pool area where the ceremony would take place. As they stood behind the curtained doors, Sandra turned to London and Maddie.

"Any last requests?" Sandra asked.

"Mom, this is a wedding, not an execution." London said.

"Dependin' on who you ask Darlin', they're one in the same." Miranda deadpanned and then winked and flashed a quick smile.

The women lined up with Genny the first to step out, followed moments later by Brandi, then Sandra, then Miranda, then after the appropriate pause, London and Maddie. The beautiful recorded sound of the famous opera duet, _Viens, Mallika, les liens en fleurs (also known as The Flower Duet)_, from the opera, Lakmé could be heard almost floating on air. This was one of London and Maddie's favorite operatic pieces.

Genny then knocked on the door and they parted just enough for her to step out. Moments later, Brandi stepped out on cue followed by Sandra, then Miranda.

Just before the doors were to open wide for the two brides, London leaned over to Maddie.

"I love you Madeline." London said in one of the rare occasions that she called Maddie by her given name.

"I love you too London." Maddie said with a smile.

They both took a deep breath just before the doors opened and they stepped out into the brilliant sunshine of south Florida. When their eyes focused on what lay before them, they nearly fainted from shock.

Raven, Chelsea, Miley, Lilly, Paulina, Genny and their mothers awaited their arrival. Also awaiting their walk down the aisle were Zack, C.J. (Cody), Barbara, Max, Marion, Carey, Arwin, Esteban, Maddie's father, Irving, Maddie's brother-in-law, Aaron and her nephew Matthew. All of their closest friends were there to witness their union. It was now evident that Tipton One's last trip to Boston brought back the whole gang. Twenty of their nearest and dearest friends and family were grinning ear-to-ear with tears in their eyes as they watched Maddie and London approach in all their splendor.

"And I didn't think this day could get any better." Maddie whispered with a grin to an equally ecstatic London.

Later on in the ceremony, the presiding justice reached the "speak now or forever hold your peace" part. As London and Maddie glanced over their shoulders, Barbara stood up and put her hands on her hips at silently daring anyone to speak just as she did at her own wedding to C.J. Everyone including London and Maddie broke out in laughter with C.J. playfully swatting at her to sit down.

"And now London and Maddie have asked to exchange their own vows." The officiant said.

London began. "Madeline, I love you. Simply, madly, deeply, truly and completely. From sunup to sundown in every time zone on this planet. I found the answer to every question I ever asked when I realized that I loved you. I promise to make you happier than any woman could possibly imagine. You… are my everything."

London then slipped the simple gold band onto Maddie's finger. Maddie took a deep breath and smiled before beginning. "London, you have always been and will always be my princess. The past year has been a real-life fairy tale and it is my vow to make sure that it never ends. I love you from the crown of your head to the souls of your feet. I love your soul, your spirit, your passion. I love your very essence. You… are my everything."

The officiant looked at London and Maddie with warmth before lifting her head and addressing the audience. "With all being said and done, these two women have professed their love and commitment to one another, and in accordance with the laws and statues of the state of Florida as well as their home state of Massachusetts, I now pronounce these two women lawfully joined in matrimony. You may now kiss your bride."

Cheers and applause rang out in the poolside area of Casa Contenta as London and Maddie sealed their nuptials with a kiss and a long embrace.

"You're mine Blondie and you can't do anything about it." London said as she embraced Maddie.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Maddie responded. "Just know that ownership goes both ways and… it has its privileges."

The women were then mobbed by their inner circle of friends beginning with their married friends from New York and Tennessee.

"I can't believe you two did it!" Raven exclaimed.

"Well they've been doing it for a year, now it's legal!" Chelsea joked.

"You two are breathtaking!" Lilly exclaimed.

"Almost as good as us on our wedding day, huh Lil?" Miley said.

"Almost." Lilly teased.

"Come on, we've hogged them for the last 36 hours. They've got some other people to say hello to." Raven said as that group slowly moved out of the way to make way for the rest of the Boston contingent.

"Marion!" London said as she grabbed Mr. Moseby and pulled him into an embrace. "I'm sorry we didn't invite you! It was such short notice."

"Brandi told us about the romantic way you whisked Madeline off her feet." Marion said. "There was no way we could be cross with you for that."

"I love you Moseby." London said as she wept.

"I love you too." Marion said, his tears threatening to overwhelm him.

Esteban stepped forward to embrace Maddie. "You know this was supposed to be you and me." Esteban kidded.

"If we ever get divorced, you're my first call. Promise." Maddie joked as she hugged and kissed Esteban.

Barbara and Max grabbed London in a double team bear hug. "We were there for the beginning! Don't forget that!" Max exclaimed.

"I am so happy for you!" Barbara gushed.

"You guys are great. Thank you." London said.

"Well Maddie… Looks like you got away from me." Zack said as his brother, mother and Arwin greeted London just behind him.

"That I did." Maddie said with a smile.

"You behave yourself." Zack said.

"Zack… this is me you're talking to." Maddie said.

"Right." Zack said. "Well… at least… make sure you use protection." Zack said before pulling a condom out of his pocket and slipping it to her undercover causing her to explode in laughter.

Maddie took the square and tucked it discreetly in her bosom. "I will." She said laughing as she patted it. Irving Fitzpatrick walked up behind Zack and put his hands on Zack's shoulders. Zack stepped aside and kissed Maddie on the cheek before leaving her to her father.

"I told you she'd come around." Irving said as he held his daughter's hands.

"She said some beautiful things about you." Maddie said sweetly.

"The old battleaxe didn't mean a word of it." Irving said gruffly.

"You'd be the first one bawlin' if something happened to her." Maddie said.

In a rare moment of marital candor for the ex-construction worker, his eyes softened. "I don't know what I'd do without your mother. She's a good woman. And she brought up two beautiful women in their own right who went and married a strapping young lad and a strapping young… heiress." They both laughed.

"By the way, I wanted to let you know Dad that even if you didn't come, you would have still been here." Maddie said.

"What do you mean?" Irving asked. Maddie then discreetly brought her dress up to reveal her garter, which she hurriedly fashioned out of one of his old ties that she always carries around. Irving smiled. "Thinkin' on your feet. You ARE a Fitzpatrick."

"And now I'm a Tipton. YAY ME!" Maddie said clapping just like the old London.

London, who was in a conversation with Miranda, turned to see Maddie clapping and using her catchphrase. The newlywed couldn't help but smile. "A girl after my own heart." London said.

"All right! They're setting up food in there and out here! We've got music, family and friends! It's time to party!" Brandi exclaimed as everyone cheered.

Just after the music started, Marion finished up a conversation with Carey before Sandra stepped up to him. "Marion." Sandra said.

"Sandra. Hello." Marion replied.

"It's been a long time." Sandra said.

"Too long." Marion answered. "How have you been?"

"Good. Good. You?" Sandra asked.

"Busy tending to London's North American portion of her empire." Marion said with a chuckle.

"Esteban told me about Charlotte. I'm sorry." Sandra said, referring to Marion's fiancée whom he broke up with after he caught her cheating.

"Life is… certainly funny that way." Marion said with a slightly pained voice.

"Seeing you today just… brought back all this stuff…" Sandra started.

"I know. Me too." Marion said.

Sandra paused and measured what was about to come out of her mouth. "I never stopped loving you."

Marion's eyes narrowed as he instantly replayed her last sentence in his mind. "I… never stopped loving you either."

The two of them gazed at each other for a moment before an oblivious London came over to join the conversation. "Marion, I wanted to know…" London stopped in mid-thought, recognizing that she interrupted a moment. "I'm sorry, I'll come back…"

Sandra snapped back to herself. "No, sweetie! Don't be silly. Talk to Marion. I need to check on something in the kitchen. Excuse me." Sandra said before flashing a quick look at Marion and departing the scene.

London looked at Marion for a moment. "What was that all about?" London inquired.

Marion smiled. "It's a long, boring story that wouldn't interest you." He said.

London studied Marion for a moment. "It wouldn't have anything to do with a certain brunette mother of mine that just re-entered my life, now would it?" London asked, repeating Marion's question to her about Maddie from a year earlier almost verbatim. Marion kept the warm smile on his face but did not reply. "I should have known." London said with a smirk. "She's single, you know."

"I know." Marion replied.

"You have my blessing." London said. "And don't try to deny it; I've been around you all my life."

"Was it that obvious?" Marion asked.

"I'm going to give you a piece of advice that is so good, every person I know that has received it has gone on to fall in love. You ready?" London said. "The eyes are the windows to the soul. They tell the story of the person's heart. They do not and cannot lie."

"You are that sure of this little nugget of information you've provided to me?" Marion asked.

London glanced over at Maddie laughing and joking before catching her eye. As they gazed at each other from afar, London answered Marion's question with one definitive word. "Absolutely."

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**Madeline Margaret Genevieve Miranda Catherine Fitzpatrick Tipton. I think we'll stick with Maddie. LOL! They're married and celebrating with family and friends. When chapter ten opens, our newlywed will be back in Boston. What's awaiting them when they return. Come back to find out. PLEASE REVIEW.**


	10. The Real World: Boston

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

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**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 10**_

**The Real World: Boston**

**Wednesday, April 18, 2018**

The shrill sound of the alarm signaled to London that it was time to get up. Lying on her stomach, she blindly slapped in the general direction of the alarm clock in an attempt to silence it.

"Make it stop." Maddie grumbled as she rolled her body away from the irritating beeping. After seven failed slaps at the alarm clock, London finally connected with the snooze button.

"It's dead." London groggily announce before drifting back to sleep. Nine minutes later, the cacophony of the alarm clock pierced the air again. "I don't want to go back to work!" London whined before reaching over and turning the alarm clock off. Maddie remained in the same position, on her side facing away from her wife.

London rolled over and pressed her body up against Maddie and wrapped her arms around her causing the blonde to moan softly.

"Mmmm. For someone to be so petite, you sure are warm." Maddie purred.

"You're not so cold yourself." London responded in her purring voice.

"We have to get up, don't we?" Maddie asked.

"I've got to start working on the cancer gala today. October will be here before you know it." London said.

"I know." Maddie said with resignation. "I've got… stuff to do at work too."

"I tell you what. Let's go brush our teeth, I'll put on some coffee and meet you in the shower." London said.

"I like good clean dirty fun." Maddie said with a smile as London held her.

"That's the best kind." London said with a devilish grin before sliding out of the bed.

"Oh, baby?" Maddie said. London turned around as Maddie rolled over to face her. "Don't make that crap your mother concocted in Miami. Great for a hangover, but terrible for everything else."

"You got it." London said as she sashayed out of the bedroom.

Maddie stretched some of her sleepiness away before staring at the ceiling and saying out loud to herself, "Time to get back in the saddle again."

London stepped off of the elevator at her Tipton International office with a cup of Starbucks in one hand, her purse in the crook of her arm, a Boston Herald in her other hand and a gigantic smile on her face. She was in love, married, rich and on top of the world. She stepped into her office to see Sandrine sitting at her round meeting table looking over some papers. Sandrine heard someone come in and looked up as she removed her reading glasses.

"London! You're back!" Sandrine said as she hopped up and embraced her boss and good friend.

"Of course I am Sandy! I told you I was coming back today." London chirped.

"I assumed that you were going to take the rest of the week off and enjoy being a newlywed." Sandrine said as London walked around behind her desk to sit down.

"Today is April 18th, which means we have six months to put together the cancer gala. Time stops for no man." London said.

"Well I was just looking at the budget for it. Here." Sandrine placed a soft binder in front of London. "So how was the wedding?"

"It was simple, elegant yet beautiful." London said. "I am so sorry that you couldn't be there."

"London, in my heart you and Maddie have been married for the last seven years. I have already witnessed your union first hand when we were in Paris." Sandrine said.

"You are very deep." London said.

"I am not deep. You're love for Maddie is deep. I am… avant-garde." Sandrine said.

"That you are." London said. "Sandy, my mother came."

"Your mother as in Sandra?" Sandrine said.

"Yes. We talked and she apologized… I don't know what the wedding would have been without her. She was incredible." London gushed.

"So are you going to see her more often?' Sandrine asked.

"She's moving to New York! Can you believe that? Oh! And get this, she and Moseby once had a thing." London dished.

"Are you serious? How did you find out?" Sandrine asked.

"There was a moment of… palpable tension after the wedding between them. Sparks were flying." London said. "I think they're going to get together."

"That is so great. Love is in the air. Now if I can just get a whiff." Sandrine said sarcastically.

"You will! Look at you! Jet black wavy hair hanging down your back, face like a model, legs for days, nice rack, nice booty…" Sandrine laughed. "You're calendar will be filled soon enough."

"Maybe you're right." Sandrine said.

"You know what your problem is? You're almost too pretty. I should know." London said before putting on a fake air. "I've been cursed with stunning beauty myself. People like us are unapproachable."

Sandrine began laughing again. "You are too much!"

"Yes. Yes I am." London said. "Now I am going to get a fresh cup of coffee and read this paper and then you and I are going to start planning the black tie event of the year!"

"It's good to have you back… Mrs. Fitzpatrick." Sandrine said, using London's married name for the first time.

London smiled and looked down to play with her wedding band. "It's good to be back, Sandy. It's good to be back."

Maddie walked into her office without seeing anyone, an odd circumstance at nine in the morning. She put her bag down next to her desk and walked around to the other side, kicking her heels off as she settled into her big comfy leather chair. She looked at the stack of folders in her inbox for review and took a deep breath.

"Coffee. A big cup of coffee is what I need." Maddie said to herself before getting up and heading to the executive pantry. When she arrived there, she saw Chloe fixing a cup. "That stuff'll kill ya. So pour me one while you're at it." Maddie said.

Chloe spun around. "The soon-to-be Madeline Tipton, I presume?"

Maddie grinned and held up her hand, fingers pointing upward and wiggling showing off her wedding band. "How about the current Madeline Tipton."

"AAAAHHHHH!" Chloe screamed and bear hugged Maddie. "YOU GOT MARRIED? Tell me all about it!"

"Well, her surprise was a romantic dinner at Niagara Falls!" Maddie beamed.

"WHAT?" Chloe exclaimed.

"Yeah! We flew up there for a romantic dinner in the most beautiful restaurant that overlooked the falls." Maddie recalled. "Then after dinner, she took me to this beautiful park and right there under the stars, SHE proposed to ME!"

"She beat you to the punch?" Chloe said.

"With twelve carats of bling!" Maddie said, holding out her hand to show Chloe her rock.

"Damn! I was so excited, that I didn't even notice it!" Chloe inspected the ring close up. "Good grief!" Chloe stretched her eyes before looking up at Maddie. "That's a big fucking ring!" Maddie laughed. "So when did this wedding take place?"

Maddie motioned for them to go to her office. Chloe quickly poured two cups of fresh coffee and fixed them up as Maddie talked. "So right after she proposed and I threw my little stank proposal on top of it, we literally ran to the limousine and she **whisked** me on to the plane, and **whisked** us to New York to pick up Chelsea and Raven, and **whisked** us to Nashville to pick up Miley, Lilly and London's stepmother, and then she **whisked** us down to, are you ready for this… MIAMI… and the biggest, most luxurious resort mansion for the wedding on Saturday morning!" Maddie said, emphasizing the word "whisked" at every opportunity.

"God! I wish I could have been there!" Chloe exclaimed as they walked into Maddie's office. Maddie went to sit down at her desk. Chloe sat the two cups of coffee on the desk and sat across from Maddie.

"Well if I had known that London's biological mother was going to not only show up, but commandeer London's jet and fly our families and friends down, I would have told her to come pick you up!" Maddie said.

"Wait. Your mom and her biological mother were there?" Chloe asked incredulously. "And all hell didn't break loose?"

"They were both so loving and supportive and… motherly." Maddie said in an awestruck voice. "They were wonderful."

"I just noticed that you are absolutely glowing." Chloe said.

"I feel like it." Maddie said. "I haven't stopped smiling since Thursday."

Just then, Ray Collier walked by the office and noticed Maddie and Chloe sitting there.

"Well, welcome back Miss Fitzpatrick. We missed your smiling face around here." Ray said as he stepped into Maddie's office.

"Actually, Mister Collier, it's Mrs. Tipton now." Chloe said.

The look on Ray's face morphed into a look of contorted look of shock as he processed what he had just heard. "You and London got married?"

"Saturday morning. It was a one-year anniversary surprise." Maddie said.

"Well, come here and let me congratulate you!" Ray said the shock still evident by the look on his face. He opened his arms to embrace Maddie as she came from behind her desk to meet him. "I'm thrilled for both of you." He said as he embraced her.

"Thank you Ray." Maddie said smiling as they broke the embrace.

"Now we just changed the signs and the letterhead, and we're going to have to do it again." Ray said playfully.

"No you won't." Maddie said chuckling. "Professionally, I'm still Madeline Fitzpatrick."

"Even if you weren't, I'd change the signs today." Ray said.

"You are so sweet! Thank you." Maddie said.

"You won't be saying that when you look at next year's intern budget. I put it in your inbox." Ray said.

"Okay, you can leave now!" Maddie joked.

Ray laughed. "I'll talk to you two later. And again, congratulations."

"Thanks." Maddie said as Ray made his exit. "He's a sweetheart." Maddie said just as her phone rang.

"I'll get it." Chloe said before picking it up. "Collier, Beckett, Fitzpatrick. Madeline Fitzpatrick's office… who's calling… just a minute please." Chloe hit the hold button. "Greg Perry from Re/Max Exclusive Properties."

"I'll take it." Maddie said as she went to sit down. "Lunch, twelve o'clock. You and me." She said to the retreating Chloe, who nodded and put a thumb up in acceptance. "Greg, Maddie Fitzpatrick. How are you?"

"_Not as great as you will be when I tell you that I found you and London THE perfect house in Wellesley." _Greg said.

"That's great! When can we see it?" Maddie asked excitedly.

"_Whenever you want. Today if you're free." _Greg said.

"Gimme a sec. I'm gonna call London." Maddie said before putting him on hold.

"_London Tipton."_

"L, Baby, it's me. Greg found a house. We can go to see it today if you want." Maddie said.

"_YES! Tell him two o'clock."_

"Okay, babe. Love you."

"_Love you too. Bye."_

"Greg, my wife and I will meet you at two."

"_Your wife? Congratulations!" _Greg said. _"You two believe in moving fast!"_

"Life can't hit a moving target, Greg." Maddie chuckled. "See you at two… okay… you too." Maddie hung up the phone. _I know I'm not a Yankee fan, but I can't resist. _She thought to herself before paraphrasing the most famous line from New York Yankee baseball great Lou Gehrig's retirement speech complete with the stadium speaker echo. "Today, today, today, today… I consider myself, myself… the luckiest girl, girl, on the face, face of the earth, earth."

London walked into the Boston Celtics' headquarters at 11:30 to take care of some paperwork that she had left on her desk. As she went in, she was met by general manager and vice president of basketball operations, Terry Garvey.

"London, you know you didn't need to come in. I would have emailed the budgets to you for your signature." Terry said.

"It's okay. I like coming here. Plus I always learn something while I'm in the office." London said.

"Well, when you get a chance, look at the scouting budget. We had to cut it this year. Revenues are down." Terry said.

London thought about it for a moment. "Eliminate my expense account and concierge service. That should free up enough money to help out."

"London, you can't…"

"I can and I will. We can't win without good players. We can't find good players if we don't have the bodies and the resources to do so." London said. "I'll be fine. I can get my own drinks during games and I can pay for my own hot dogs."

"You're a piece of work." Terry said, shaking his head and smiling as he walked away pleased with his encounter with the boss.

London called out to him. "As long as you don't call me a piece of shit, then I'm cool with it." Terry laughed and kept walking.

London turned the corner to head down the executive wing on the way to her office when she saw a familiar face in the hallway.

"Well hey stranger! Fancy seeing you here!" Mary-Margaret said. She was returning to her desk following a meeting with her boss.

"Hi Emme! How are you?" London said as she embraced the Nubian beauty.

"I'm doing fine." Mary-Margaret said with a smile. "Thank you again for dinner last week. You and Maddie are very gracious hosts."

"You're welcome! We've go to do it again sometime soon." London said.

"So how is the love of your life?" Mary-Margaret said laughing.

"The love of my life is so lovely that I just had to up and marry her on Saturday." London said with reserved glee as she showed Mary-Margaret her ring.

"Shut… up! You two got married?" Mary-Margaret whisper-yelled. "That is… incredible!" She said as she embraced London. "I'm… beyond happy for you!" Seconds later, Corrie came strutting around the corner and saw the two women gleefully embracing.

"You better have a good reason for putting your hands on my woman!" Corrie joked.

Mary-Margaret turned around to Corrie. "Corr! London and Maddie got married! Look!" Mary-Margaret held out London's diamond-laden hand.

Corrie's face registered shock. "Marr—Married? That's… that's wonderful!" Corrie had been floored by the news of their nuptials. "Let me… kiss the bride." London stepped forward as Corrie gave her a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. As she stepped back, Mary-Margaret noticed that the sparkle that normally resided in Corrie's eyes had dimmed considerably. Upon seeing this, yet another small piece of Mary-Margaret's heart broke, leaving her with a sour feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was in this moment, however, that the sour feeling was washed away in a tidal wave of unexpected resolve.

"London, do you mind if I talk to you for a moment in your office? It's about a personnel matter." Mary-Margaret stated.

"Sure. No problem." London said. "Corrie, I'll see you later?"

"Yeah! Yeah." Corrie said with half-hearted, halting enthusiasm.

"Okay. C'mon Emme." London said as they disappeared around the corner, leaving Corrie in the hallway to contemplate the loss of her white whale.

London and Mary-Margaret stepped inside London's office with London closing the door behind them. Mary-Margaret went over to the chair in front of London's desk to sit down, but London sat down on the leather couch on the other side of the office and motioned for Mary-Margaret to do the same.

"So who is this personnel issue about?" London asked.

Mary-Margaret dropped her head in contemplative thought for a moment before lifting it to speak. "It's not really a personnel issue. It's a… personal issue." She said before pausing. "I didn't want Corrie to know about this conversation."

"Okay. What's on your mind?" London inquired.

Mary-Margaret looked at London and had one last bit of reservation about baring her soul to a classmate that until recently she hadn't seen in over a decade and wasn't terribly fond of in school. But Mary-Margaret saw something kind and inviting in London's eyes that made her knew that talking to her wasn't a bad idea after all.

"London, I am hopelessly in love with Corrie. She has been my best friend since the fifth grade and she knows me better than anyone in the world." Mary-Margaret said.

"That's wonderful." London said.

"It's not wonderful because she has this obsessive fascination with you." Mary-Margaret said. London had tried to dismiss the warnings that Maddie tried to give her, but given the revelation from the woman that spends the most intimate time with Corrie, there was no dismissal of this information. It was as real and as accurate as it gets.

"Okay." London said flatly.

"I mean, she is the most devastatingly sexy, sensual, funny, thought-provoking person when we're together…" Mary-Margaret said with undeniable passion in her voice. "But then she sees you and she turns into a… goddamn puppy dog!" London simply nodded as she listened. "I mean, I bust my ass trying to please her and be everything to her and she hits me with this open relationship bullshit and I know…" Mary-Margaret was beginning to get agitated. "I know it's because she's holding out for you, for some sliver of hope that you will come to your senses and fall head over heels in love with her…" Mary-Margaret was then suddenly hit with a wave of emotion as she loudly and audibly gasped, signaling the onset of tears. "And I'm telling you because you're her obsession and I know that you aren't returning her affection, I just… I'm so fucking miserable because I know I should leave, I know I shouldn't play second fiddle to anybody, I know I should be loved and respected by someone who loves and respects me back, but I can't because I love her so much and does this make any sense? DOES IT?" London silently watched the onset of Mary-Margaret's meltdown. "I'm just so… fucked… up." Mary-Margaret dissolves into a quivering heap of tears the result of years of built-up angst pouring out.

"Come here." London whispered softly as she cradled Mary-Margaret's head and guided it to her bosom. Mary-Margaret openly and bitterly wept in the arms of the woman that was the inadvertent and indirect source of her pain. "If you really love her, if you really don't want to lose her, you've got to fight for her. You've got to call her on what she's doing. You don't say much to her, do you?" Mary-Margaret shook her head as her sobbing gradually began to subside. "You get frustrated and wonder 'what more do I have to do'." Mary-Margaret nodded her head yes. "And she acts as if she doesn't have a clue what you're getting upset about." Mary-Margaret nodded her head yes. "She's in total denial." London said as she stroked Mary-Margaret's hair. "You are going to eventually have to grab her and shake her, either figuratively or literally, to snap her out of her self-induced delusion. You're going to have to say, 'I love you goddamnit and I need you to love me back on my terms!', and you're going to have to mean it."

"I think I can do that." Mary-Margaret whispered as her head still rested on London's chest as she stared off into nothingness.

"Sure you can. And if she has one active brain cell, she'll come to her senses." London said.

"Sounds like you're an expert on this." Mary-Margaret said.

"Slightly different circumstance but the same idea." London said as she thought back to the darkest period in her life and the verbal snapback she received.

_**FLASHBACK (Saturday, June 14, 2008, 1 pm, London's suite at the Tipton Hotel)**_

London was sitting on the settee in her room staring at some program on the television that she had no interest in. After the death of her father in October, London suffered a nervous breakdown in January and narrowly survived a suicide attempt in February. She had officially dropped out of Harvard at the end of the spring semester and had resorted to sitting in her room vegetating, eating only when forced by Maddie, Esteban or Marion.

It was one in the afternoon and she hadn't moved from her spot since she crawled out of bed at ten. Only a persistent knock at her door roused her. London slowly rose to her feet and shuffled over to the door and eased it open.

"Hey Princess." Maddie said in a playful but reserved tone.

"Hey." London said lifelessly.

"It's a beautiful day outside. Let's go for a walk in the park, go find that mime guy. You love him." Maddie said with a smile.

"I'm not in the mood." London droned as she sat back down on the settee.

"Come on. You're doctor said it's good for you to get outside, get some sun on your face, the wind in your hair, you know, simplify." Maddie encouraged.

"I'm watching TV. It doesn't get much simpler than that." London said before turning her attention back to the screen.

Maddie stood and looked at London for a moment, contemplating her next sentence. "So this is it, huh? This is London. Sitting on the couch watching… The History Channel and turning into a dust ball."

"Pretty much." London replied dryly. This was followed by more silence.

"Have you eaten today?" Maddie asked.

"Not hungry." London's responses were becoming more and more lifeless.

Maddie walked over to London and reached for the remote. "Put down the remote, we'll go get something to eat, get some sun…"

London suddenly snatched away from Maddie. "I don't want anything to eat and I don't want any sun! Will you please just get out of here and leave me the fuck alone!"

"I'm not going anywhere!" Maddie said as her spine stiffened. "I am your best friend and I'll be damned if I'm gonna let you do this!"

"Do what?" London said with fatigued exasperation.

"Wallow in your own shit!" Maddie exclaimed. "Your father died. It ripped your guts out. I get that. You lost a piece of your soul. I get that too. There is nothing wrong with grieving. Grieve for years if you have to. I know you loved the man and he loved you. But do you think he'd want to see you like this? A shell of your former self, letting the television watch you waste away?"

London's head shot around. "My father died! The only man in my life that loved me died and I wasn't there for him when he needed me!"

"Wake up London! You were there for him! You got two days with him at the end! Some people don't even get that! And HOW DARE YOU say that he was the only man in your life that loved you!" Maddie fumed. "Moseby WEPT for you when you were lying in that hospital room clinging to life! HE WOULDN'T FUCKING LEAVE YOU HE LOVED YOU SO MUCH! And Zack and Cody and Esteban and even Lance, your ex-boyfriend have all shed tears for you, and checked up on you, and worried sick about you." Maddie's eyes filled with tears as they spilled onto her cheeks. "You have so many people in your life that love you and care for you that don't want to and can't lose you! So EXCUSE ME if I don't go running scared because you raise your voice to me, curse at me and tell me to leave, because I won't do it! I won't let you wither away and die, because I love you too much, LONDON!" Maddie was now sobbing. "I WILL NOT FUCKING BURY YOU! DO YOU HEAR ME! I WILL NOT LET YOU DIE!" Maddie screamed as she sobbed. "So you get your ass off the couch right now, because if you don't I will pick you up and fling you over my shoulder like a sack OF POTATOES!" Maddie paused as London looked at her in shock, like a light had just clicked in her head. Then Maddie snapped and raised her volume to its highest level as she exploded. "DO YOU FUCKING HEAR ME LONDON? DO YOU?" Maddie was at her wits end.

London stood up and walked over to Maddie and embraced her as Maddie broke down and wept bitterly. "I hear you, Maddie." London whispered softly. "I hear you."

_**END OF FLASHBACK**_

"If you lay your heart open to her with no tricks, and she still doesn't respond to you then you know she's not the one for you, no matter how painful it is to admit." London said as Mary-Margaret slowly sat up and looked London in the eyes. "But I have a feeling that you will crack her. I remember Corrie to be a lot of things, but stupid isn't one of them."

"I'm a mess, aren't I?" Mary-Margaret said chuckling.

"You're not a mess. You're in love." London said. "But like somebody recently told me, dependin' on who you ask Darlin', they're one in the same." London recalled Miranda's response to her wedding/execution comparison.

"Thank you London. This meant a lot." Mary-Margaret said sweetly.

"We all need a little help sometimes, especially when it comes to love." London smiled. "Now go in the bathroom and clean yourself up. You can't go back out there all puffy and red." Mary-Margaret nodded and went to the bathroom as London had suggested.

London sat back on the couch and stared at the bathroom door for a moment then down at her wedding rings before letting her head fall back as she stared at the ceiling.

"Ahh, Corrie. She really loves you." London said out loud to herself. "Don't fuck this up."

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**Welcome back to Beantown. As you can see, the drama was waiting for their return. What's gonna happen next? You know what to do to find out. PLEASE REVIEW.**


	11. The Tingle

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

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**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 11**_

**The Tingle**

**Friday, June 29, 2018 – 10 am - Maddie's office**

"Chloe, did Barry drop off the case file for the Sanderson hearing?" Maddie asked Chloe via intercom.

"_Yeah. I've got it right here. I'll bring it to you." _Chloe answered.

"Thanks." Maddie said. She had been swamped with work for the last month and the Sanderson case was her last big one before she could take the opportunity to breathe. With London's workload over the last two months – preparations for the NBA Draft Lottery and the draft itself, her regular workload at Tipton International and the planning of the Breast Cancer gala in October – there wasn't much of an opportunity to spend quality time with one another.

"Here you go." Chloe said as she placed the case file on the desk and turned around to leave.

"Just in case I haven't said it lately, thank you for all of your hard work." Maddie said as she looked up from her papers. "Without you, I think my brain would have melted weeks ago."

Chloe smiled. "You didn't have to say that. We're a team, remember? I set the ball and you spike it home." Chloe said using a volleyball example that Maddie could appreciate as a three-year varsity letterwoman at Boston University.

"I'll be glad when this month is over!" Maddie said as her phone rang. "I miss my wife!" Chloe was about to pick up the phone when Maddie waved her hand and picked it up herself. "Maddie Fitzpatrick."

"_Hey, Lover Girl." _London said.

Maddie sank back into her chair and smiled. "Hey Princess."

"Perfect timing." Chloe whispered. She began backing away to make her retreat when Maddie motioned for her to sit.

"What's up?" Maddie asked her wife of three months.

"_I was wondering if you wanted to have lunch with Sandrine and me. We're gonna be in the neighborhood." _London said.

"Today is normally the day I take Chloe to lunch." Maddie said, looking at Chloe who waved for her to go, knowing that Maddie wanted some quality time with London.

"_Bring her along! I haven't talked to her in a while." _London said.

"In that case, it's a date." Maddie said.

"_Great! Sandy and I will be there around… 12:30?"_

"Sounds like a plan, Stan." Maddie joked.

"_It is a wonderful plan, from this girl named Stan, a plan that goes great with green eggs and ham." _London came back.

"Goodbye, Doctor Seuss!" Maddie said.

"_Love you."_

"Love you more. See you." Maddie said before hanging up. "You and I are having lunch with London and her assistant Sandrine."

"Sandrine, huh?" Chloe said. "I wouldn't imagine that a woman named Sandrine would be anything but gorgeous."

"I'll let you determine that for yourself." Maddie said.

"Wow. She's either that fine or that hideous." Chloe said.

"You'll find out when they get here." Maddie said with a smirk. In the back of her mind she thought that Chloe and Sandrine would be a good match.

"Tease." Chloe teased as she turned to walk out.

"Horndog." Maddie shot back.

Chloe looked over her shoulder as she reached the threshold of the door. "All day, all night." She said saucily before disappearing.

In the blink of an eye, twelve-thirty rolled around with Maddie putting the finishing touches on her work. She didn't intend on coming back to her office for a couple of hours. Chloe walked into the office to wait with her.

"You need some help?" Chloe asked.

"Nope. I… am…" Maddie said as she scribbled notes in the margin of one of the documents. "Done." Maddie closed the folder and sat back with a self-satisfied smile on her face.

"So you really like being married?" Chloe asked.

"The best part of being married is knowing that when you're in the house by yourself, someone is coming home to be with you." Maddie said with a twinkle in her eye. "I'm in the house and I hear the key hit the lock and my heart jumps a little because I know she's home." Chloe smiled. "Or I'm the one coming home and I walk up to the front door and I get that adrenaline rush knowing that she's inside waiting for me…" She paused. "I know the feeling will wear off eventually… but right now… it feels so damn good. I mean, I'm sitting here right now waiting for that first glimpse of her when she walks through that door. I'm waiting for that tingle, you know?"

Chloe smiled a slightly sarcastic smile as she bit her bottom lip and shook her head. "No. No I don't."

"I'm sorry. I'm blabbering on about me and my feelings and being inconsiderate…"

"It's okay. I'm happy for you. I really am." Chloe said. "But… your happiness just highlights the fact that I'm… alone in the moderately-sized city… without a tingle."

"You will feel the tingle." Maddie encouraged. "And when you do, it will make you say, do, think, feel things that you would have never imagined." Maddie then leaned closer causing Chloe to do the same across the desk. "Between you and me… the other day, I went out for a walk for lunch and I walked past that little sex shop on the corner and I went in. And I'm walking around and I see…"

"Stop, right there." Chloe said. "As hot as you are, I will not have you describe any apparatus that you contemplated purchasing because I have an active imagination and I would be in a staff meeting thinking about how you'd look in… a strap-on and I can't have that."

"How did you know…?" Chloe's reaction to Maddie's comeback was to cross her arms on the desk and drop her head with a thud in exasperation. While Chloe's head was down, she heard Maddie say sweetly, "Oh boy. Tingle time." signaling to her that London had arrived. Chloe watched Maddie stand up. "Hey baby!" Maddie walked around her desk to greet London. Chloe stood up and smoothed her skirt out before turning to face the trio behind her. When she did, she froze. The tall, wavy-haired brunette standing next to London was grinning as she watched Maddie and London embrace. As she smiled, she cut her eyes in Chloe's direction and locked onto the petite blonde. And then it happened… Chloe felt the tingle.

"Hi Chloe!" London said as she stepped forward to hug her. "Chloe, this is my assistant and good friend, Sandrine Mitterand. Sandrine, this is Maddie's executive assistant, Chloe Carpenter."

Sandrine extended her hand to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you Chloe." Chloe had not blinked since Sandrine first locked eyes with her. Her brain was on a three-second delay from the visual overload. When her synapses caught up with her, she took Sandrine's hand.

"The pleasure's mine." Chloe said.

"Well come on guys. The place down the street is always packed and I'm starving!" London said.

"Excuse me, where is the restroom?" Sandrine asked.

"I know where it is. I'll go with you." London said as the two of them excused themselves.

"We'll meet you by the elevator." Maddie said. London nodded and led Sandrine out.

"Maddie? You know how earlier you were talking about feeling that tingle?" Chloe said.

"Yeah." Maddie said.

"I felt it." Chloe said with a bit of reserved awe.

"London's mine. You can't have her." Maddie deadpanned.

"I'm talking about Sandrine, you ninny!" Chloe whisper-yelled.

"I know. I was jerkin' your chain." Maddie said with a smile.

"We were just talking about it and I felt it. I mean I felt it when I saw her!" Chloe whisper-yelled again.

"I know. I saw it." Maddie said.

"You… saw it?" Chloe asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"Ray Charles could see it and he's been dead fourteen years." Maddie said.

"Maddie, I have never hoped so much that someone likes me back. I wonder what she thinks of me." Chloe wondered aloud.

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, London and Sandrine had just come out of adjacent stalls and were at the sink washing their hands.

"Why were you hiding her from me?" Sandrine asked as she soaped her hands, wringing them under the warm stream of water.

"Hiding who? Chloe?" London asked. "You like her?"

"About seventeen different things ran through my mind regarding what I could do with that body and sixteen of them involve sweating, smiling and/or screaming." Sandrine said.

"Wow." London drew out. "When was the last time you got laid?"

"The question isn't when was the last time. The question is when is the NEXT time." Sandrine said.

"I've never heard you carry on like this." London said as she dried her hands and handed Sandrine several paper towels.

"You've never seen me want someone like this." Sandrine said. "I felt something when I saw her."

"The tingle." London answered. "You felt that tingle that let's you know that this person is the one."

"I wonder if she felt the tingle too." Sandrine said.

London began walking to the door followed by Sandrine. "Judging by the look on her face…" London said as she opened the door. "I'd say she has the fever for the flavor of a tingle."

Mary-Margaret and Corrie were enjoying a rare Friday off. Their boss decided to reward their division for all their hard work leading up to and through the draft by giving all of them a surprise three-day weekend. They decided, after two days of deliberation, to stay home and rest.

To Mary-Margaret's surprise, Corrie had been surprisingly cool and calm after finding out that London and Maddie had married. She and Mary-Margaret had enjoyed three relatively angst-free months on cohabitational bliss. They had gone on romantic dates, seemed to improve their general communication and the sex got even better. It was in this atmosphere that they decided that a relaxing day in their Chelsea, Mass apartment was just what they needed.

After coming back from breakfast the two women relaxed, watching TV on the sofa. Corrie was sitting straight up, remote in hand, with Mary-Margaret stretched out with her head in Corrie's lap.

"It doesn't get much better than this." Mary-Margaret cooed as she sighed and closed her eyes.

"It does. But we did that earlier." Corrie said with a smirk. Mary-Margaret looked up at her and smiled. The two of them heard a faint metallic slam in the hallway. "Mail's here."

"I'll get it." Mary-Margaret said as she sat up and planted a short but juicy kiss on Corrie's lips.

Corrie rolled her eyes into the back of her head and grinned. "God, I love it when you do that!"

"There's more where that came from." Mary-Margaret purred as she stepped out into the hallway to get the mail. She came back in with a small stack – a mixture of envelopes and magazines. "Your turn to go through it." She said as she handed Corrie the stack.

"Bills, bills, junk, Hype Hair…" Corrie said as she tossed the black hairstyle magazine to Mary-Margaret who had flopped down on the other end of the couch.

"Thank… you." Mary-Margaret chirped.

"Bills, more bills…" Corrie then paused as she gazed at the cover of Newsweek magazine. Mary-Margaret glanced over and saw the banner of the magazine.

"Oh! My Newsweek! Toss that here." Mary-Margaret said. Corrie's eyes narrowed and one of them twitched as she gazed at the cover image, oblivious to Mary-Margaret's call. "Corr? What's wrong with you? You don't read Newsweek! Gimme that!" Mary-Margaret playfully snatched the magazine from Corrie to look at the cover. Her playful mood disintegrated instantly when she saw the cover. There was a picture of London and Maddie standing beside each other in power business suits and power heels with briefcases in hand, feet shoulder width apart in a superhero pose with their hair blowing in the wind. The cover caption read, "America's Newest Power Couple."

By the time Mary-Margaret had looked up from the magazine, Corrie had a neutral look on her face and was flipping through the TV channels.

"I wonder if there's a good Lifetime movie on." Corrie said in a somewhat normal tone.

"This is about to be a Lifetime movie called Obsession: The Story of Corrine Buckingham!" Mary-Margaret spat.

Corrie looked over at Mary-Margaret incredulously. "What are you talking about?"

"What are you talking about?" Mary-Margaret mocked, using the same high-pitched tone Corrie had just used. "She's married Corrie! She's in love with Maddie! Maddie is her wife! Maddie is the love of her life, not you!"

"I was looking at a damn magazine cover! Is that a crime? Two people I consider friends are on the cover of a national magazine and I pause to look at them and you come at me with this?" Corrie shot back.

"It's the way you looked at that cover and you damn well know it!" Mary-Margaret volleyed. "Every time you see her picture or she comes on television or you see her at the office you get this goofy-ass look on your face and you zone out like you're trippin' on E or something and I'm SICK OF IT!"

"Emme, I…"

"DON'T Emme me!" Mary-Margaret stood up. "What? Am I too thick for you? Is my skin too dark for you? Am I not couture enough for you? Not rich enough for you?"

"Emme…"

"I have been cooking, cleaning, planning dates, sending flowers, giving of myself and oh yeah, rockin' your motherfuckin' world in the bedroom for two years now, and I have to sit back and watch you go… cuckoo-for-Cocoa Puffs for another woman? Another woman who, by the way, DOESN'T WANT YOU!" Mary-Margaret's self-described ghetto alter-ego "Lee-Lee", from her middle name Alicia, had arrived and was putting Corrie on full blast. "No. Hell no. One way or the other, this ends today. I sat on this couch feeling warm and fuzzy, loving you, loving being with you and you, supposedly, loving me, loving being with me and then one picture, one…" Mary-Margaret picked up the magazine and hurled it at Corrie. "…fucking picture, sends you into a funk! Well you know what? Fuck that. I deserve better than that Corrie. I love you with all my heart but I refuse, I REFUSE, to let you dog me this way. You hear me? I am flesh and blood, standing in front of you desperately wanting to love the wonderful, kind, sensitive, funny, sexy person that shows up 90 percent of the time."

Mary-Margaret paused for a moment to let everything that she had just said to sink in. Corrie was completely blindsided, floored and dumbstruck by Mary-Margaret's outburst.

"Emme…" Corrie said in a low volume, meek voice indicating her level of shock. "I… I don't… know what to say."

"You don't know what to say? Let me help you out a little bit. It's real simple. You say to me that you will push London out of your system, drop all this open relationship crap that you've been promoting for two years and you will give me 100 percent of Corrie. On second thought, that's too many words. Just look me in the eye and say to me, 'I'm in', because right now, that's what it boils down to, Corrie. You're either in… or you're out." That was it. Mary-Margaret was on the operating table, her chest had been cracked open and her heart had just gone into defib. There was only one person that could revive her, one person that could save her, one person that could rescue her and that was Corrie.

"Emme… I just…"

"In or out." Mary-Margaret stood perfectly still. Tears welled up in her eyes but remained unspilled, belying the defiant determination of Mary-Margaret to show strength.

Corrie looked at Mary-Margaret and felt the swell of a flood of tears build up inside her. She didn't want to look at Mary-Margaret in that moment but couldn't tear her eyes away from her.

Corrie inhaled deeply and then exhaled a shaky breath that was accompanied by streaming tears. "This… is so… hard."

A systole. Flat line.

Mary-Margaret remained as still as a statue when she heard Corrie's initial response. With no accompanying sound or movement, two tears streamed from Mary-Margaret's eyes. "You know…" Mary-Margaret said with frightening calm. "Don't bother saying anything else." She paused as more tears streamed. However, her voice remained unwavered. "You just gave me your answer." Corrie audibly gasped as a sob caught in the back of her throat. "I'll be back later to get my things. I'll stay with my parents until I find another place." With that, Mary-Margaret turned and purposefully strode to the front door, taking her keys off the key hook and quietly closing the door, leaving Corrie on the couch in stunned disbelief.

Corrie sat silently on the couch for a moment as she stared at the door before a fresh, powerful set of tears began streaming down her face and her lip began trembling. She slowly closed her eyes, thinking back to all of the things that Mary-Margaret had just said. She then thought back on the look of hurt that was on Mary-Margaret's face and realized that she had seen that look numerous times before. She then remembered all the good times the two of them shared. And that's when it happened. Seemingly out of nowhere, she felt a tremendous tremor rumble through her body. When the tremor stopped, there was a one second pause followed by a torrent of gut-wrenching sobs that came pouring out of her.

What was that tremendous tremor that she felt? It was the obsession of London Tipton extricating itself from her soul and the thunderous onset of the realization of the love that she felt for Mary-Margaret. Corrie Buckingham felt her tingle. The question that remained was, was it too little, too late?


	12. Queequeg's Coffin

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**Author's Note: Queequeg's Coffin is a reference to the Herman Melville classic, Moby-Dick. Ishmael, the main narrator of the story, was the lone survivor of Moby-Dick's destruction of whaling ship, the Pequod. He survived by using the coffin built for one of the characters, Queequeg, as a buoy. Mary-Margaret and Corrie's relationship as it was has been destroyed by Corrie's obsession. But there is a buoy floating in the debris… their love for each other.**

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**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 12**_

**Queequeg's Coffin**

London and Maddie were thoroughly enjoying their lunch outing with Sandrine and Chloe. The latter two women were enjoying lunch as well. Each woman took the opportunity to sneak looks at the other as the conversation flowed. Inside, both women were on full alert as the other piqued the senses to levels they had never experienced before.

"So how is the gala prep going?" Maddie asked.

"Gala?" Chloe said.

"I never told you? God! I tell you just about everything!" Maddie started.

"Everything?" London asked, with loaded intent.

Maddie smirked. "Well… maybe not… everything." Sandrine and Chloe looked at each other with playful eyebrow raise and a smirk that spoke to each other about the flirtatiousness of their respective bosses. But it also served as an opportunity for the two women to engage in a little open flirtation of their own. "London's company is holding a black tie gala for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in October."

"That sounds wonderful." Chloe said. "My mother passed away from breast cancer three years ago."

"I am so sorry to hear that." Sandrine said, instinctively reaching out to touch Chloe's hand. Chloe instinctively grasped Sandrine's hand in acceptance of the comfort, neither one of them yet tuned in to any additional significance of the gesture.

"Thanks. I donate as much as I can to the foundation and volunteer whenever I can." Chloe added, still holding Sandrine's hand.

"Well, Sandy and I would love some help, that is… if you have can spare any time." London said.

"I'll make time." Chloe said. "Anything I can do to help." Chloe gingerly removed her hand from Sandrine's grasp to pick up her water glass. Sandrine, not realizing that she had held on so long, mouthed her apology to Chloe, who smiled and waved the apology off. This subtle exchange was noticed and mentally filed by both London and Maddie.

"Your boyfriend or husband won't have a problem with you extending yourself like this, I hope." Sandrine said. London flashed her a nearly imperceptible look, knowing that Sandrine had just cast a line.

"I'm my boyfriend/husband right now so I don't have a problem with it." Chloe said as she flashed a grin that she failed in her attempt to suppress.

"It's been how long since you've been out with a guy?" Maddie asked in an attempt to push Chloe a little closer to Sandrine.

"Long enough that they are but a mere dot in my rear view mirror. Thanks for asking." Chloe said with a tinge of incredulousness in her voice at Maddie's semi-obvious matchmaking attempt.

"Well by looking at you I know that your lack of dating is simply a matter of choice. Because you could have your pick of any one in this city. Except for these two of course." Sandrine said, casting yet another line.

"I couldn't date either one of them." Chloe said. "They're a little…" Chloe finished her thought by circling her ear with her index finger and crossing her eyes, the universal symbol for crazy. Sandrine laughed in a throaty chuckle. "You need to patent that laugh. It's great."

"Thank you." Sandrine said as a mild blush crept to her cheeks just as London's phone rang.

"London Tipton." London said. "Whoa! Okay, Mary-Margaret, slow down. Where are you?" London put her hand over the mouthpiece. "Mary-Margaret just gave Corrie an ultimatum and Corrie blinked. Emme is a mess." London turned her attention back to the rambling, distraught Mary-Margaret. "Okay. Calm yourself down and meet us back at our apartment building. And Emme, please be careful driving… okay, you're welcome... you're not bothering me… okay, bye."

"Is she gonna be okay?" Maddie said with concern.

"She sounded like a complete mess." London said. "Guys, I'm sorry, but Maddie and I have to go. We've got to do this again soon." London said as she stood up to hug and kiss the other two women.

"Take care of your friend. Don't worry about us." Sandrine said.

"Okay, bye." Maddie said as she said her goodbyes. "Tell Collier I've got my laptop, I'll check in later."

"I will. Bye." Chloe said as Maddie and London departed on their walk back to the garage.

"I hope everything is okay." Sandrine said.

"Me too." Chloe replied. There was then a moment of silence. "Well… do you want to… finish lunch?"

"I think you and I can hold up our end of a conversation." Sandrine said.

Chloe took a moment to study the statuesque brunette. "I do too. Let's." Chloe said as she smiled and sat back down to finish dining with the tall, dark and handsome woman.

Maddie and London pulled into the garage of their Chauncy Street condo in separate cars. Although they had moved to Wellesley two months earlier, they still maintained the apartment in the city for late work night stayovers. When they pulled into the garage, they spotted Mary-Margaret's black Nissan 350Z in one of the visitor's spaces. As they walked up on the car, they could see Mary-Margaret in the driver's seat with her head resting on her arm on the steering wheel, her body shaking from the sobs pouring out of her. Taking a chance on the door being unlocked, London gingerly stepped forward and successfully opened the car door.

"It's us Emme." London said as Mary-Margaret's sobs continued unchecked. "Shhh."

"SHE JU…." Mary-Margaret's attempt at an explanation morphed into intelligible sobs.

"It's gonna be okay. Come on." London whispered as Maddie looked on with tears in her eyes at seeing someone so broken. London slowly pulled Mary-Margaret out of the car and to her feet. When they were clear of the car, Maddie came around and closed the driver's door and caught up to them as they entered the elevator on their way up to the apartment.

When they arrived, London guided Mary-Margaret over to the sofa and sat down with her. Mary-Margaret collapsed onto London's chest and began another round of sobbing. Maddie went to the bathroom to retrieve a cool, wet washcloth for Mary-Margaret's face. She then went to the kitchen for a glass of water and an Advil for the headache that she was sure Mary-Margaret had. Maddie sat down and watched Mary-Margaret's painful outpouring of emotion for the several minutes it took for her to calm down in to a reasonable semblance of calm.

"Here. Let me wipe your face." London said softly as she began wiping away the tears and mucus from Mary-Margaret's crying.

"I… am so… sorry." Mary-Margaret said. "You… guys… left work… for me…"

"We were just having lunch. It's okay Emme." Maddie said softly.

"I know this looks pathetic…" Mary-Margaret said with a strained voice as she sniffed her drying tears. "… me carrying on like this."

"You're not pathetic." London said. "It just hurts." London paused for a second. "You want to tell us what happened?"

Mary-Margaret took a deep, shaky breath and sat up straight. "Is this for me?" She said, motioning to the water and the Advil on the coffee table. London and Maddie nodded. Mary-Margaret took a swig of water and downed the two caplets before beginning.

"Well… we were at home, having a good time." She spoke slowly and deliberately. "We woke up, made love, went to breakfast and decided to just veg out in front of the TV and chill… I went to get the mail… gave it to her to go through…" Mary-Margaret paused as she felt another wave of tears well up in her already puffy eyes. "And she saw… a picture of you two… on the cover of Newsweek…" London and Maddie looked at each other. They had forgotten that issue was due out so soon. Mary-Margaret's tears began to stream again. "And she had that… that STUPID FAR-OFF… LOOK on her face and…"

Her voice then lowered, almost to a whisper. "And I couldn't take it any more, so… I… told her off." She then got eerily quiet. For a brief moment, even with flowing tears, she found her clear voice. "I told her that I was sick of the obsessive behavior over a woman that does not want her, that I did everything I could to make her happy and that she was either in… or out." Mary-Margaret paused. Then, her lip began to quiver. The sobs slowly trickled back into the explanation. "And she sat there… and just said… and just… said… 'This is so hard.'… I mean… what so FUCKING HARD ABOUT TELLING SOMEBODY YOU LOVE THEM AND WILL BE THERE FOR THEM?"

It was then that her almost-normal voice returned. "I had to get out of there. I had to get out of there because I was just so…" She then began talking through gritted teeth. "If I wasn't in your place I'd break something right now 'cause I'm so fucking pissed at her! I want to shake her… I want to slap her… I want to hurt her…" Her tears then came out full force again. "I want to kiss her… and hug her…" She then painfully squeezed out, "I'm in love with her", before dropping her head and silently sobbing, ending her account of what happened.

"Emme? What did I tell you a couple of months ago?" London asked, recalling their conversation in her office. "If you really love her, if you really don't want to lose her, you've got to fight for her." London said. "Call it a hunch, but I think she does care about you, that she does love you and that I'm like this… this… quest, this unattainable crush, this… Maddie what was the story about the guy who obsessed over the fish?"

"Moby-Dick. You're Corrie's white whale." Maddie said.

"Exactly. I'm Moby-Dick. She's Ahab." London said.

"Didn't Ahab die in Moby-Dick?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"Emme, this Moby Dick isn't trying to fight your Ahab. She's trying to get away from her." Maddie said. "You can snatch her from the deep, dark sea before it's too late."

"I don't have the strength to do this anymore." Mary-Margaret said. "I'm tired and I need to rest. I still love her, but she's got to show me that she loves me."

"Then rest. And you know what? You can rest here." London said. "Stay here as long as you want."

"I… I can't do that." Mary-Margaret said incredulously.

"I assume you don't want to go back to your place right now." London said. Mary-Margaret shook her head. "So you stay here. Don't worry about anything. Just buy your own food. Everything else is taken care of until you've… rested fully."

Mary-Margaret looked at London, studying her for a moment. "For two years, I have wanted to hate you so bad." Mary-Margaret said with conviction. "But every second I'm around you, I know why she is so infatuated by you."

"Every second I'm around you, I know what a true treasure she's missing." London countered. Mary-Margaret smiled and dropped her head.

"Excuse me? Do I need to give you two a moment?" Maddie joked in an attempt to bring a little levity to the situation.

Mary-Margaret chuckled. "No. We're good."

"Emme, since we're all friends here, I need to ask you about something that Maddie and I debated about our high school years." London said.

"London…" Maddie said ominously.

"Okay." Mary-Margaret said.

"Did you have a crush on Maddie back in high school?" London asked.

"I don't believe she went there!" Maddie said as she rolled her eyes toward the ceiling and looked up in exasperated fashion.

"Ignore her." London scoffed. "Well? Did you?"

A knowing smile slowly crept across Mary-Margaret's lips. "Let's just say… that I loved playing the back line when Blondie played the net."

"I knew it. She was checkin' out your ass! I told you!" London said, pointing at Maddie who turned a fair shade of crimson.

"You WERE rockin' the volleyball shorts back in the day." Mary-Margaret smiled.

"London was the one rockin' the shorts, with the thighs and everything!" Maddie shot back.

Without thinking, Mary-Margaret added to Maddie's thought. "Yeah. Had a wet dream or two about those thighs." She said casually before catching herself. London's eyes grew wide as saucers as she blushed. Mary-Margaret winced. "I… did not just say that out loud."

"Okay Moby…" London said, quickly changing the awkward subject. "When you're ready, we're gonna help you help Corrie see the error of her ways."

"Please don't say anything to her." Mary-Margaret pleaded.

"Only if she says something to me will I broach the subject." London said.

"Me too." Maddie added.

"Okay." Mary-Margaret said with relief in her voice. "Thank you again for letting me stay here."

"You're welcome." London said. "Now come on in the kitchen with me and help me whip up some lunch. Maddie and I didn't eat at the restaurant."

"I hope that one day, I can experience the relationship you two have." Mary-Margaret said.

London smiled. "Just keep that attitude that you have. It'll come to you before you know it."

Three days had passed since Mary-Margaret's blowup with Corrie. On the brilliantly bright July morning, two days before the nation's 242nd birthday, Corrie Buckingham was a mess. She had slept all of five hours combined over the weekend and she had barely managed to drag herself out of bed for work. She missed Mary-Margaret like crazy. She had beaten herself up all weekend long over the way she handled Mary-Margaret's ultimatum. If only Emme would talk to her, she could apologize for the way things went down on Friday. She had tried calling Emme's cell phone several times over the weekend, but it had gone to voicemail. Corrie was unaware that Mary-Margaret had turned it off, keeping herself from resisting the temptation to talk to her.

Corrie normally made sure that she was dressed to the nines, not even daring to wear the same outfit within a two week period. Her hair was always perfectly coiffed and the little bit of natural makeup that she wore was flawless. On this day, the makeup still went on. She didn't want to draw attention to her eyes, which had been drained of tears over the weekend. She did however put on the same navy blue pinstripe suit that she wore the previous Monday and pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

The normally chatty Corrie was silent on this morning as she went about her usual routine save for one thing. Mary-Margaret always made a pot of coffee in the morning and fixed their car mugs for the trip into the office. On this day, there was no coffee, no car mug, no Mary-Margaret.

The drive into the office seemed to take forever. In reality, it was a thirty-five minute trip. When she arrived, she immediately noticed that Mary-Margaret wasn't at her cubicle. Corrie went to her desk and got herself settled. She decided that she was in need of that missing cup of coffee and went to the kitchen to get some. When she went in, she saw her department head, Christina Andrews, there fixing her own morning pick-me-up.

"Morning Christina." Corrie said in a flat, drained voice.

"Good Morning Corrie." Christina said, not turning around to face Corrie as she fixed her coffee. "How was your weekend?"

"Not good." Corrie said as she took her cup out of the cabinet overhead. Christina took this opportunity to look at Corrie for the first time.

"I can see that." Christina said. "Are you sick? I heard that something was going around."

Corrie thought about the reason for her appearance and decided that she did feel a bit ill. "Yeah. I do have something. But what I have isn't contagious. I'll be fine."

"Okay. Well let me know if you need to go home. Don't want you getting worse." Christina said as she began her retreat.

"I will." Corrie said. "By the way, have you… seen… Mary-Margaret this morning? She… spent the weekend at her parents." Corrie concocted a quick lie.

"As a matter of fact, London told me that Mary-Margaret is going to be on detail for a few weeks at Tipton International." Christina said. "She's helping them with a cancer benefit gala they're putting on this fall."

The emptiness that Corrie felt grew emptier upon hearing that news. "Oh." Corrie replied meekly.

"Corrie, why don't you go home. You don't look like you're in any condition to work today. You rest and try again tomorrow. Okay?" Christina said with concern. In the three years that Corrie worked for the Celtics organization, Christina had not seen her so out of it.

"I'll be okay…"

"Really. It's all right." Christina said. "Whatever's on your desk will keep until tomorrow. Go home." Christina offered softly with genuine concern.

"Okay." Corrie replied almost inaudibly before handing Christina the cup that she had taken out for her coffee and heading back to her desk to pick up her things. Corrie then headed to the elevator to go back home.

As she pulled out of the garage, she sat at the top of the exit ramp in thought. To go home, Corrie would have made a left onto North Washington Street and merged onto the Tobin Bridge taking her over the Mystic River to the exit for her apartment in Chelsea. Instead, she went back down Causeway Street to Staniford Street and on to Cambridge Street near the Government Center at Scollay Square. This route took her into the heart of downtown and to the headquarters of Tipton International.

After finding out what floor London was on, Corrie made her way up to the thirtieth floor office. She stepped off of the elevator and walked over to the receptionist desk.

"Welcome to Tipton International. How can I help you?" The receptionist said.

"I'm looking for London Tipton. I'm Corrie Buckingham, one of her Celtic employees." Corrie said gingerly.

"Just one minute. Let me see if she's in her office." Cynthia, the receptionist said. As Cynthia dialed London's office, Corrie glanced down the hallway and saw a figure that looked like Mary-Margaret crossing the hall.

"EMME!" Corrie called out. The woman at the end of the hall stopped and looked in Corrie's direction before continuing on to her destination. Corrie was about to take a step in that direction when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Corrie turned around to see London standing behind her.

"Hi London." Corrie said.

"Hi Corrie. How are you?" London said.

Corrie took London by the hand and led her away from the reception desk, out of Cynthia's ear shot. "She told you, didn't she? That's why she's here."

"Yes she did and yes she is." London said.

"London, you have to let me talk to her. I really screwed up." Corrie pleaded.

"Yes, you did screw up. But she's not ready to talk to you yet." London said. "It's too soon."

"London… I didn't realize until the moment she started… blasting me, how much I love her." Corrie said with subdued passion. "It's been two days and I feel like I'm losing my mind."

"It's been two years for her. Imagine how she feels." London said politely but emphatically. "Look, I don't want you to think I'm choosing sides here, but she came to us and Maddie and I are going to give her the support she needs."

Corrie felt her stomach drop as a tear streamed down her face. "I understand." Corrie said painfully as she turned to leave. London reached out and gently grabbed her arm.

"Wait a minute." London said softly. "You didn't hear this from me, but she has got to know, to feel how bad you want her before she takes you back." London looked directly into Corrie's eyes. "It could be days, weeks, months, before you reach her. But if you want her back as much as I think you do, then you better be prepared to do some work." Corrie nodded. "I know you're hurting too. And I know that you feel miserable right now. And I do have empathy for you. I consider you to be my friend just as much as she is. But she is in pain and you are the only one that can heal her. It's gonna sting like hell when you start putting the ointment on, but if you want her back, you've got to do it."

"Any suggestions?" Corrie asked.

"As tough as it is, give her a few days to breathe, maybe even this week before you start." London said. "She is emotionally exhausted. You have given her quite a ride the last couple of years."

Corrie dropped her head for a moment before lifting it to speak. "London, I'm sorry that you have to be in the middle of this. If I had talk to you years ago…"

"It's okay." London said with a smile. "You had a crush, an obsession. Who could blame you? I mean look at me." London joked, causing Corrie to smile slightly before taking Corrie by the hands and putting a serious look on her face. "It's not too late." London said shaking Corrie's hands. "We talked to her on Friday. You still have a chance. You hear me? But this thing is on you if it's going to happen."

Corrie dropped her head again as her emotions got the best of her. Her lip quivered as she spoke. "Thank you London." Corrie said through tears. "You gave me some hope today." Corrie stepped forward and embraced London. And for the first time as she hugged London, all of her thoughts were of Mary-Margaret.

"A little hope and a lot of elbow grease can go a long way." London said as she embraced the brunette beauty. "Take care of yourself and call me or Maddie if you need anything."

"Okay." Corrie said as she broke the embrace and placed a soft, chaste kiss on London's cheek. She then turned and made her way over to the elevator. London waited for her to step on and watched the doors close before heading back to her office.

London stepped back into her office where Sandrine and Mary-Margaret were working on a vendor list for the benefit.

"Is she gone?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"She is." London said.

"What did she say?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"She screwed up." London said.

"No shit." Mary-Margaret spat.

"And that she feels like she's losing her mind." London offered.

"Now she knows how I feel." Mary-Margaret disdainfully said.

"She misses you." London said softly.

"Good. Let her miss me for a while. You don't know what you have until it's gone. Maybe she'll act better." Mary-Margaret said venomously.

"Emme…" London started.

"No London. Let her get it out. And she's right." Sandrine said. "Some people have to experience the pain themselves to truly understand what the other person is going through. Corrie will be a better person for this. You'll see."

"Is she like Yoda?" Mary-Margaret turned to London, pointing her thumb at Sandrine before turning to Sandrine. "Are you like Yoda?"

"I'm not as wise and I'm prettier. But I have learned some things from personal experience." Sandrine said.

"Well this is one lesson that I will be glad to see come to an end." Mary-Margaret said.

"It will." Sandrine said. "And look at it this way. When you two finally do get back together, the make-up sex will be phenomenal." All three women laughed.

"You know first time sex is phenomenal too!" London said, recalling her first encounter with Maddie. "So Sandy, when is your first date with Chloe?"

"What makes you think that Chloe and I are going out?" Sandrine said. London simply looked at her with a blank expression on her face before Sandrine cracked. "Friday night."

London looked at Mary-Margaret. "Works every time." London said. "Sandrine is the straight-up Mack Mommy!"

"I just see what I want and I go after it." Sandrine said.

"And you want Chloe." London stated.

"I do." Sandrine said. "And I plan to make my intentions perfectly clear on Friday."

"Well give my estranged girlfriend some pointers. God knows she needs some." Mary-Margaret said.

"I'd be happy to." Sandrine said. "But first things first, and that first thing is Chloe Carpenter."

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**Can you believe that this is the end of the twelfth chapter? Wow! I want to thank all of you thus far for 106 reviews and counting through the first eleven chapters. My personal record is 181 (for the first story in this series, Requited) and I have a feeling that before it's said and done, this one could eclipse it.**

**Thank you again for your reviews. Chapter thirteen will be coming soon. If you haven't already, please take a moment to go to my profile page and participate in my latest poll. The poll question is, "Of all the couples that have appeared in my stories, which one do you think has the best sexual chemistry?" There are ten choices and you can vote for up to five couples.**

**I'll be back for chapter thirteen before you know it, but before I do… PLEASE REVIEW.**


	13. Sweet and Sour

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

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**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 13**_

**Sweet and Sour**

**Friday, July 6, 2018**

The middle of the summer at Collier, Beckett, Fitzpatrick means selection of interns for the fall. Maddie was sitting at the round table in her office reviewing a stack of resumes, searching for just the right one. She had just gotten off the phone with Chelsea who was in her New York office doing the same thing. It was going on 11:30 and Maddie had been looking over resume packages for more than two hours when her eyes temporarily gave out on her. She took off her reading glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose as she closed her eyes.

"I don't know how Ray and Jim do this every year." Maddie mumbled to herself just before hearing a knock on the door. "Come in!"

"I finished with the follow-up briefs on the Sanderson case." Chloe said. "You need a hand with that?"

"Be careful for what you ask for." Maddie said in a playfully ominous tone.

"I've been here for a couple of years. Jen has told me all about this process." Chloe said, referring to Ray Collier's secretary who helps Ray with his intern vetting process. Chloe then sat down and grabbed a mini-stack of folders.

"So… are you excited about your date tonight?" Maddie asked.

"I've got three outfits laid out on my bed, complete with heels and underwear. No, I could care less." Chloe joked.

"Yeah. I can tell." Maddie deadpanned.

"Sandy is so smooth. She knows just what to say and when to say it. She's a player. She's like… the Mack Mommy!" Chloe said.

"Okay, first of all, London said exactly that the other day. And second, when did you start calling her Sandy?" Maddie asked.

"After you and London left the restaurant." Chloe said with a goofy smile. "We sat there and talked for an hour about everything. She's very intelligent."

Maddie started teasing Chloe by singing. "Chloe loves Sandy. Chloe love Sandy."

"What are you, four?" Chloe asked with a chuckle.

"Yes. Now where's my juice box, damnit?" Maddie demanded causing Chloe to laugh. "You really have a thing for her. Don't you?"

"Girls have always been experimental for me." Chloe admitted. "Sandy's different. She's… a woman… a beautiful, intelligent woman that I just get this vibe from, like she's massaging my soul."

"Massaging your soul?" Maddie asked incredulously. "Damn, you're pussy whipped already."

"I can't be pussy whipped! We haven't done anything yet!" Chloe said.

"Then you're pre-pussy whipped!" Maddie offered.

"Pre-pu… You have severe mental difficulties. You know that?" Chloe said as Maddie began laughing heartily.

"I'm just teasing you! Come on! You know I am!" Maddie said. "London could call me right now and tell me she wants me to do X, Y and Z and I'd ask her when, where and how long!"

"Yeah, she does have you sprung." Chloe said nodding her head. "You know what? Who cares? I see hearts and butterflies when I see or think about her and we haven't even gone out on a date and I… don't… care."

"Good for you!" Maddie said. Just then a man in a delivery outfit knocked on the door. Maddie and Chloe looked toward the door.

"Excuse me. I'm sorry to bother you. There was no one at the outer desk. I'm looking for Chloe Carpenter?" The delivery man said.

Chloe stood up. "I'm Chloe Carpenter." The man stepped out of view for a second then reappeared with two large bouquets of yellow roses with red tips. Chloe gasped upon seeing them. Maddie's mouth fell open. "Oh my…"

The delivery man sat them on the round table and pulled his delivery pad and a pen off of his hip. "I just need you to sign here." Chloe's mouth joined Maddie's in a state of openness as she hurriedly scribbled her signature on the pad. "Have a nice day." The man said as he made his exit.

Chloe let out an incredulous chuckle signaling her disbelief over the display. Maddie visually searched the bouquets for a card.

"Who…?" Chloe managed to say.

"We know who. The question is why and those roses give you the answer!" Maddie said.

"I don't follow." Chloe said.

"Yellow roses with red tips?" Maddie exclaimed. "Don't you know what that means?"

"I've never gotten roses before." Chloe said in an airy voice as she eyed her delivery.

"Never?" Maddie asked in shock.

"Carnations, daisies, tulips but never roses." Chloe said just as she located the card.

"A yellow rose with red tips means falling in love." Maddie said tenderly. Chloe took a long sniff of one of the roses, allowing the scent to intoxicate her. She slowly leaned back and held the index card in between her fingers and shrugged with a smile. "What does it say?"

Chloe slowly opened the card and pulled out the card. It was handwritten.

_**Chloe,**_

_**Who said you have to receive roses after a wonderful date? Looking forward to tonight. **_

_**Sandy**_

"Talk about making your intentions clear." Maddie muttered to herself, recalling what London told her Sandrine said about their date.

Chloe, being totally enthralled by the open display of floral affection, didn't hear what Maddie said. "What did you say?"

"I said that's beautiful." Maddie said with a genuine smile. "Looks like you've got a night to remember to look forward to."

The clock in the bedroom read 7:25 and in just a few minutes, Sandrine would arrive for her date with Chloe. As she bustled around her bedroom, Chloe would walk past her bedroom door, glimpse the two dozen roses sitting on the dining room table and have a warm feeling course through her body. She had no idea what the evening would hold for her. She had no idea whether this feeling she had was real. She had no idea whether Sandrine was the real deal or if she was just doing this to get her into bed. What Chloe knew was that she hadn't felt like she did since her first crush and that she was going to go with the feeling as long as it would last.

She took one last look at herself in the mirror as she applied some clear lip gloss. After she rubbed her lips together, evenly spreading the gloss over her lips giving her the wet, kissable look, Chloe attempted to slow down her hammering heart by singing to herself. In this case, with her freshly applied lip gloss, she decided that an appropriate rap was in order.

"What you know 'bout me?, What you what you know 'bout me?, What you know 'bout me?, What you what you know? They say my lip gloss is cool, my lip gloss be poppin', I'm standin' at my locker, and all the boys keep stoppin'…"

Just then the door bell rang. Chloe's head whipped around. "Okay. Time to make the magic happen." Chloe walked to the front door resplendent in her cream colored wrap dress and matching sling back heels. She opened the door and felt the breath almost violently escape from her body. Standing before her was the stunning brunette in a deep burgundy, silk Asian print knee-length dress that was sleeveless and had a Mandarin collar. Sandrine had pinned her hair up in an elegant style and completed her outfit with heels and makeup to match.

"Hi." Chloe said.

"Hi yourself." Sandrine said. "You ready?"

"No. Your outfit kind of threw me off my game for a second. You look incredible." Chloe said.

"You never get a second chance to make a first impression." Sandrine said.

"Consider me impressed." Chloe said with a slight smile.

"No. Consider me impressed. You look beautiful." Sandrine said.

"Not as beautiful as the roses you sent me. Thank you." Chloe said.

"I felt like I had to, like I needed to." Sandrine said.

"Again, thank you." Chloe said. "And now, forgive me, but I am starving! Let me just grab my purse." Chloe walked over to the dining room table to retrieve her purse and took one more look at the roses. She then picked up her purse and strode confidently to the front door. She turned the light out and closed the door. "Oh. One more thing." Chloe said before closing the distance between them and delivering a soft but powerful kiss, surprising Sandrine. When Chloe withdrew, she gently bit and licked her bottom lip, savoring the kiss.

"What was that for?" Sandrine said, mustering all of her composure to ask the question.

"That's how the roses made me feel." Chloe said.

"You know, I have the florist on speed dial." Sandrine said with a smile, earning a laugh from Chloe and breaking the rapidly building sexual tension between them.

"Come on. Let's go eat." Chloe said chuckling.

"Let's." Sandrine said as they started down the hallway and into the warm Boston night.

Mary-Margaret pulled up to the building where she and Corrie shared an apartment. Every Friday evening that she didn't work late or go out on the town, Corrie went to the gym at 7:30. Mary-Margaret could set her watch by it. When she checked the time on her cell phone, it showed 7:42. She knew that Corrie was probably five minutes into her half an hour on the treadmill.

Mary-Margaret went upstairs to grab some personal things that she knew she needed. She didn't know how long she would be staying at London's condo but she knew that the next couple of weeks were a certainty.

She opened to door and saw that were no signs of Corrie in the apartment. _Like clockwork._ She thought to herself as she walked back to the bedroom to grab her second suitcase. She had already made one trip back to the apartment during the week while Corrie was at work.

Walking around the bedroom, gathering her belongings, Mary-Margaret thought back to the good times that they shared and wished in her heart that those times could return without all of the other baggage. About 10 minutes into her packing, her cell phone rang.

"Hello."

"_Hey. How's it going?"_

"Hey London. I'm at the apartment, grabbing some stuff."

"_She's not there?"_

"No. She went to the gym."

"_When you get done, come over to our house. It's movie night."_

"That's okay. I don't want to be a third wheel."

"_Come on. I'll let you feel up Maddie!"_

"_SHUT UP LONDON!" _Maddie could be heard in the background to say.

Mary-Margaret laughed. "Are you sure?"

"_Just do me a favor and bring some of that cheesy popcorn. I love that stuff!"_

"Okay. I'll call you when I'm on the way."

"_Cool. Bye."_

"Bye."

Mary-Margaret hung up her phone, sliding it back into the front pocket of her jeans. She continued her packing with thoughts of a relaxing movie night with friends wafting through her brain. Those thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sound of keys in the front door. Mary-Margaret's head whipped around to the nightstand on the other side of the bed. The clock read 8:03. It was too early for Corrie to be back. _What is she doing home?_

Seconds later, Corrie appeared at the threshold of the bedroom in her black and pink jogging suit with the jacket unzipped, revealing her black sports bra and toned abdominal muscles. She had a brown paper bag in her arm that appeared to be carry-out food. The two women stared at each other for what seemed to be an eternity. In reality, the staredown lasted only a few seconds before one of them broke the silence.

"I… got to the gym and it was crowded." Corrie said humbly. Mary-Margaret gave no response. "I decided to go get some buffalo wings… and cheesy fries." For a second time, Mary-Margaret remained stone-faced. "I… have plenty… if you… want… some."

Mary-Margaret dropped her head and began quickly stuffing things into the suitcase. "I don't want any of your damned wings." Mary-Margaret muttered under her breath, but loud enough to be heard.

"Emme…"

"No." Mary-Margaret said as she continued her speed packing. "Emme is reserved for friends and lovers. You're neither one right now." She said in a low, biting tone as she packed.

Corrie stood in the door frame and numbly watched Mary-Margaret pack. "If I'm not… a friend or a lover right now… what am I?" She said in a voice that made her sound incredibly small and fragile.

Without stopping, Mary-Margaret replied. "You're you. You're Corrie. Good Ol'… open… relationship… Corrie." She delivered in the same biting tone as before.

"Emme…"

"WHAT!" Mary-Margaret snapped. "I thought I told you not to call me that!"

"That's what you are to me! You're… Emme!" Corrie exclaimed.

"Well I don't feel like Emme, okay? I feel like Mary-fucking-Margaret!" Mary-Margaret snapped back.

"So be Mary-fucking-Margaret! Just talk to me!" Corrie said before calming down. "Please."

Mary-Margaret stopped packing and straightened up, looking Corrie directly in the eye. "Talk to you?... It hurts to look at you." Mary-Margaret said. "I'm going to say something to you. I don't expect you to understand but here it goes. I love you with all my heart, all my soul but right now I want to punch you in the face. All you had to do is say 'I'm in.' without hesitation, without equivocation and you… had to think about it. I didn't expect your words to right on top of mine but I did not expect it to be HARD for you. I want to be with you but I… will… not… set… foot… in your life again until I feel like you deserve it and right now you DON'T deserve it. And right now, I don't want to hear any excuses, any apologies, any declarations of… anything. I just want to pack my things and go back to where I'm staying right now."

Corrie swallowed hard and shook herself. "So… where are you staying?"

"You don't get to know that right now." Mary-Margaret said.

"Okay. I understand." Corrie said.

"I DON'T WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND! JESUS!" Mary-Margaret exploded. "I WANT YOU TO YELL AND SCREAM AND CRY SO I CAN GET PISSED OFF AND YELL AT YOU!" She said as she slammed the suitcase shut and latched it before snatching it off the bed. She then stalked over to the door. "MOVE!" Corrie instinctively stepped aside, for the first time fearful of what Mary-Margaret might do. Mary-Margaret stormed down the hallway toward the front door.

"Emme! What do you want me to do?" Corrie pleaded.

"Nothing. Not a damn thing. Just stay away from me for a while. If you care anything about me as a person, you'll do that for me." Mary-Margaret said in a low, calm tone.

"I do care about you." Corrie said with tenderness. "Emme, I lo…"

"DON'T!" Mary-Margaret yelled. "Don't you fucking say it. Not here, not now, not like this."

Corrie then broke down into sobs. She stepped forward and attempted to touch Mary-Margaret. The darker beauty stepped back and angrily put her index finger up to stop Corrie as she felt the nauseous wave of sobs forming in the pit of her stomach. "You will NOT… make me break down. I did NOT COME HERE FOR THIS!" Mary-Margaret reached behind her to open the door. "No." She added for punctuation before closing the door. She then marched down the hallway, suitcase in hand, toward the stairs. She avoided the elevator in fear of seeing a neighbor.

She thundered down the stairs beginning her seven-floor descent to the lobby. She turned the corner to head down the stairs on the fourth floor. She hit the third step from the top when her foot slipped. She managed to grab on to the railing to keep from falling to the bottom but her momentum sent her crashing on her butt to the step below. She watched as her classic Samsonite tumbled to the bottom, latches popping open and contents of the suitcase spilling out. She sat in stony silence for a moment as she looked at the remains of her haphazard packing strewn over the steps and the landing below.

"FUUUUUUUUUUCK!" Mary-Margaret went supernova with her outburst, her four-letter epithet rocketing off the walls of the stairwell. It was after that scream that the floodgates opened, leaving Mary-Margaret bitterly weeping as three floors above her, Corrie sat on the floor in the living room doing the same.

Sandrine and Chloe finished their dinner at the exclusive French restaurant on the outskirts of downtown. Sandrine cranked up the car and was about to put it in to drive when Chloe spoke.

"So… where are we off to now?" Chloe asked.

"I was thinking ice cream." Sandrine said.

"Ice cream." Chloe said with a smirk. "You know, that is the last thing I expected to hear you say. But it sounds like a great idea."

"Sometimes the most unexpected words a person utters are the most pleasing to the ear." Sandrine said.

"Are you like Yoda or something?" Chloe asked.

"That is the second time this week someone has called me Yoda." Sandrine said. "I really should watch Star Wars."

A few minutes later, they pulled into a Baskin Robbins. Sandrine ordered a kids' scoop of pralines and cream while Chloe opted for the jamocha almond fudge. They two women when back out to the car. Upon getting in, Sandrine let down the top on the convertible.

"I am 29 years old and I can honestly say that I have never sat in a car with a date eating ice cream." Chloe said as she thoroughly enjoyed her ice cream.

"Never?" Sandrine said.

"Never. Same with the roses." Chloe responded.

"Wait. Okay, first, I don't believe you are 29. You don't look 29. Second, you cannot tell me that you have never been given roses."

"My former beau were cheap bastards who just wanted to hit it and quit it. No. No flowers." Chloe said. "And I pray that you think I look younger than 29 and not older."

"I swear I thought you were a year or two younger than me." Sandrine said.

"How old are you?" Chloe asked.

"Twenty-seven." Sandrine responded.

"Shut up! You are too damned alluring to only be twenty-seven!" Chloe said. "The twenty-seven year-olds I know are just coming into their own. You act as if you've owned it for years."

Sandrine took the last bite of her ice cream cone. "I'm just confident when I know what I want. That's all."

"Well what is it exactly that the 27-year old Sandrine wants?" Chloe asked.

"Do you want the politically correct or politically incorrect answer to that question?" Sandrine asked.

"I find it hard to believe that you can be politically incorrect so I tell you what, you give me the PC answer first then give me the un-cut answer." Chloe said.

"Okay. Fair enough." Sandrine started as she sat up straight in the driver's seat. "The politically correct answer is that I want to take the opportunity that I have been given here in America and run with it and really make something of myself; something that will make the parents of Sandrine Désirée Mitterand proud."

"That was very PC. Now what about the non-PC response?" Chloe asked.

"The politically incorrect response is… that I want to take you somewhere and make passionate love to you until we both fall asleep in each others arms." Sandrine answered with no hesitation in her voice.

Chloe stared at Sandrine for a moment before robotically turning to face forward in her seat. With her eyes firmly fixed in front of her, she spoke.

"I think I'm ready to go home now." Chloe said with an eerie calm.

Sandrine quickly felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. Her face sank into a look of defeat. "I'm sorry if I offended you."

Chloe spoke in a near-whisper. "You didn't offend me." Chloe then turned her head and looked Sandrine directly in the eyes. "My home is the somewhere you're taking me." It was then that Sandrine saw the slightest smile flicker across Chloe's lips.

Just as quickly as the wave of embarrassment came over her, the relief came just as quickly. "My heart stopped for a moment."

"I'm sorry. Let me start it back up for you." Chloe said before lunging over and hungrily pressing her lips to Sandrine's. The primal, animalistic kissing intensified when Chloe maneuvered her petite frame over the gear shift knob, straddling Sandrine in the front seat as she kissed her.

The two women quickly lost their breath as they devoured each other. Hands began feverishly roaming over one another as the tingle that they felt when they first met grew into the chill of full-bore arousal as their make out session reached its critical mass.

"Let me show you… why they call it French kissing." Sandrine breathlessly panted as she proceeded pull Chloe toward her, pressing the strawberry blonde as tightly to her as humanly possible before delivering as powerful, seductive and spine-tingling a deep French kiss as Chloe had ever experienced. Chloe whimpered into Sandrine's mouth as she completely melted into the kiss. After another moment or two, Chloe pulled back.

"We've go to go, right now." Chloe panted. "You hear me? Right now." She then climbed off of Sandrine and slid back into the passenger seat. Sandrine cranked up the car but before she pulled off, she reached over and forcefully grabbed Chloe by the back of the hair and pulled her in for one more scorching kiss. Chloe squirmed in the seat squeezing her legs together as her wetness threatened to overtake her.

Sandrine let her go but remained nose-to-nose with Chloe. "Right now." Sandrine said with white hot intensity.

"Right now." Chloe responded in kind before Sandrine put the car in gear and headed back for Chloe's apartment.

Twenty minutes later, Chloe's key hit the lock on her apartment door. When the door was slammed behind the two women, the trail of clothes began to form as they kissed and groped at one another. Shoes, then dresses, then hair clips, then underwear became casualties of the firestorm that ignited in the parking lot of the ice cream store. By the time they reached the bedroom no articles of clothing remained to be removed.

They spilled onto the bed with Chloe on top of Sandrine.

"Welcome to my bed." Chloe grunted in between kisses.

"It's my pleasure to be here." Sandrine purred.

"Damn right it is." Chloe growled before reaching between Sandrine's legs and massaging her clit. Sandrine let out a guttural moan, as she threw her head back and arched her back for Chloe's touch. When she recovered from the initial wave of pleasure, Sandrine returned the favor by reaching down and stroking Chloe's center. Chloe's head fell forward on to Sandrine's shoulder as the Frenchwoman quickly found the right spot. The guttural moaning and panting continued as the two women stroked each other in rhythm.

"Merde!" Sandrine bellowed in French. "You are incredible!"

"You haven't felt incredible yet." Chloe growled again before thrusting two fingers inside Sandrine.

Sandrine gasped, experiencing Chloe's digital manipulation. Sandrine's screams were muted only when she turned her head to the side and bit the pillow that lay next to her. Even then, she could still be heard moaning and swearing into the plush, poly-filled cushion. "Oh my god, I'm about to come!" Sandrine panted. Seconds later, Sandrine's body clamped down on Chloe's fingers. The beautiful brunette thrashed around underneath Chloe as her orgasm seized her body.

"And now… you have felt incredible." Chloe said with a smug smirk.

"I have to pee." Sandrine said. Chloe slowly rolled to the side and let Sandrine up. Sandrine slid off the bed and stood. She then suddenly seized Chloe by the arm causing Chloe to yelp. "And now you're about to feel incredible." Sandrine cooed in the most syrupy, sexy voice.

"I've had incredible before." Chloe teased. "You're gonna have to go some to give me incred… OH SHIT!" Chloe exclaimed as Sandrine picked her up by the backside and walked her from the bed to the far wall. "You're strong!" Chloe panted.

"And dexterous." Sandrine purred as she pinned Chloe to the wall and slid two fingers inside the blonde whose toes were barely touching the floor.

"Oh my god, Sandy! YES!" Chloe bellowed from the pit of her stomach. Sandrine rocking her from pillar to post.

"You are so beautiful." Sandrine whispered in to Chloe's ear.

"So… are you." Chloe managed to eke out.

"You are so beautiful." Sandrine whispered again. Unbeknownst to Chloe, a single tear rolled down Sandrine's cheek just moments before Chloe's orgasm.

As Chloe came down from her orgasmic high, she took Sandrine's head in both hands and passionately kissed her. "You are addictive." Chloe whispered in between kisses.

"I'll be your dealer all night long." Sandrine whispered, causing Chloe to laugh. "I can only imagine what our second date will be like."

"I'll get to shed a tear next time." Chloe said softly.

"You caught that?" Sandrine said.

"I heard you sniffle." Chloe replied. "I loved it."

"So…"

"So… you're gonna spend the night tonight and then I'm gonna take you out tomorrow." Chloe said.

Sandrine, still pressing Chloe against the wall smirked. "I think that's my line."

"But we're in my apartment so that's my line." Chloe said smiling.

"Then I guess my next line goes something like, let's go take a shower, get clean and dirty and then get out of the shower and get dirty and dirtier." Sandrine replied.

"After seven months without sex, that's music to my ears." Chloe said.

"Seven months? Try nine." Sandrine shot back.

"Oh, tonight is gonna be good!" Chloe responded with a sexy chuckle.

Sandrine leaned in to deliver yet another devastating kiss. But just before she did, she took a line from Chloe's script. "Damn right it is." She then delivered that kiss just before Chloe led them to the bathroom for that clean and dirty shower.

**Lucky number thirteen is history. The Oh So Bored One has the honor of naming this brand-new couple, dubbing them Chlandrine. I like that. I hadn't even thought of a name before I saw it. Fourteen is coming your way. And hopefully, some more reviews are coming my way. PLEASE REVIEW.**


	14. Detente

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**Author's Note: ****Détente (day-tant) is a French term, meaning a relaxing or easing; the term has been used in international politics since the early 1970s. Generally, it may be applied to any international situation where previously hostile nations not involved in an open war de-escalate tensions through diplomacy and confidence-building measures. **

**Thank you, Wikipedia.**

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**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 14**_

**Détente**

**Saturday, September 1, 2018**

It was a little more than a month before the Tipton's cancer benefit gala and London was exhausted. She had been working six days a week for the last month making sure that all the balls that she had up in the air remained in the air. Between Tipton Hotels' rapid expansion, the Boston Celtics' busy off-season transactions and preparations for the gala, London had been spread pretty thin. Maddie, a workaholic herself, agreed to go along with London's hectic schedule on the condition that they took Saturday off together.

It was on this Saturday, however, that their day off had a slight twist. In the two months since Corrie and Mary-Margaret's "separation", both of the women refused to call it a break-up, Mary-Margaret was a frequent guest at their home in Wellesley. She had been over numerous times for dinners and movie nights. Corrie, however, had yet to make an appearance. One day at work, London noted that fact and made it a point to invite Corrie over for dinner. London didn't want Corrie to think that she and Maddie were playing favorites. They took to Mary-Margaret quicker because it appeared that she was taking the separation much harder than Corrie was. It was on this Saturday that London and Maddie found out that appearances can be deceiving.

"I wanted to thank you again for inviting me over for dinner. This is great." Corrie said. "I didn't know you were such a good cook, Maddie!"

"I don't exactly consider Hamburger Helper gourmet cuisine but I'm glad you like it." Maddie said smiling. Corrie looked at her with a blank smile, as if the Hamburger Helper reference didn't sink in. "Hamburger Helper? Noodles, sauce, ground beef?"

"I know what it is." Corrie said in a friendly, matter-of-fact tone. "I've just never had it."

"Never had Hamburger Helper, huh?" Maddie said with her tongue literally in her cheek. "You rich people kill me." Maddie playfully deadpanned. "I guess you had hand cut pasta and sauce made with real vine-ripened tomatoes right off the vine, which by the way you had out in your tomato vineyard, right next to your wine vineyard."

"No!" Corrie said. "Our wine vineyard was in Paso Robles, California!" Corrie then laughed, causing Maddie to swat at her as London looked on laughing as well.

"Anyway Blondie, you can't say **you** rich people anymore. You're one of us now." London reminded Maddie of her six-figure income.

"Oh yeah. I am rich." Maddie said as she scooped up another forkful of her Beef Stroganoff Hamburger Helper.

"Man, this stuff is good!" Corrie said, taking in another mouthful. "This reminds me of a joke. What do you call one hundred cows in a field masturbating?" London and Maddie looked at each other and contorted their faces, trying to figure out the punch line to the joke.

"I don't know. What do you call one hundred cows in a field masturbating?" Maddie asked.

"Beef… Stroganoff! Get it? Beef stroking off?" Corrie revealed. London and Maddie chuckled and shook their heads. "I didn't say it was a good joke!" Corrie said with a smile.

"I can definitely see that you are in better spirits." London said. "You doin' okay?"

Corrie's grin slowly disappeared and was replaced by an awkward smile. "I'm okay." Corrie paused. "I get lonely sometimes… okay all the time. I really miss her."

"You still see her at work, don't you?" Maddie said.

"She's been on detail over at Tipton International." Corrie said. "I stop by on Fridays to drop off her mail. And the last two Fridays we've actually said hello to each other and…"

_**FLASHBACK – (Friday, August 31**__**st**__** – Tipton International Offices – Sandrine and Mary-Margaret's office)**_

"So the tables are coming in on the fifteenth and will be set up… the next day?" Sandrine asked Mary-Margaret.

"Right. Then the silverware and everything else gets delivered and set up that same day as well." Mary-Margaret replied.

"Good. London will like that." Sandrine said. "What about the…" Her next question was interrupted by a knock on the door. Sandrine and Mary-Margaret looked up to see Corrie standing in the doorway.

"Hi. I'm sorry to interrupt. I… just wanted to drop off your mail." Corrie said humbly. "Hi Sandrine." She said to Sandrine before turning her attention back to Mary-Margaret.

"Hi Corrie." Sandrine said softly with a warm smile.

Over the past two weeks, Mary-Margaret's anger had subsided considerably. She found that the more she saw Corrie, the more she missed her and in her brief conversations with her, she detected a change in the gorgeous brunette's demeanor that she found endearing. Mary-Margaret was not ready to give them a second chance yet, but the icy wall that she put up between them was beginning to thaw.

"It's no problem. I needed a break anyway." Sandrine said. "Would either of you care for some coffee?"

"No thanks. I'm fine." Corrie said.

"Sure. Two creams, four sugars." Mary-Margaret replied.

"Got it." Sandrine replied.

"How… is Chloe doing? Maddie told me about you two. I think that's great." Corrie said.

"She is…" Sandrine wanted to gush and say that Chloe was phenomenally gorgeous. But knowing the strained relationship between the two women in front of her, she understated her response. "…great. Chloe is great. Thanks for asking." With that, Sandrine smiled and headed to the kitchen, leaving the two star-crossed lovers alone.

"Hi. Oh… here." Corrie said softly.

"Thanks." Mary-Margaret responded in a low, soft voice before taking the mail and staring blankly at the envelope on top.

"How… have you been? I mean… how are you?" Corrie sheepishly asked.

Mary-Margaret slowly nodded her head. "Good." She then slowly lifted her head to meet Corrie's eyes. "I'm good." There was a pregnant pause. "How are you doing?"

Corrie flashed a quick, awkward smile. "Fine. I've been fine… Working… Keeping busy."

Mary-Margaret slowly nodded her head again. "Good." That was followed by another pause.

"The preparations for the gala going okay?" Corrie asked timidly.

"Fantastic." Mary-Margaret answered in a muted tone. "We're on schedule and on budget."

"You're good with schedules and budgets. I'm… not surprised." Corrie said.

Mary-Margaret took a moment to absorb the compliment. "Thanks. I didn't think you noticed."

Corrie paused for a moment. "I noticed. You're good… except for that one time you bounced a check for wings."

Mary-Margaret perked up slightly. "That was the bank's fault, not mine!"

"Yeah, but the bank didn't have to go down to Wings-N-Things with two rolls of quarters from my piggy bank!" Corrie shot back lightly.

"A grown woman and you still have a piggy bank!" Mary-Margaret teased.

"That… is Mister Oink! I've had him since I was three. He's my friend." Corrie playfully pouted. Mary-Margaret took note of the playful pout. This was the Corrie that she fell in love with. Corrie noticed Mary-Margaret's gaze lingering on her. "What?"

"Nothing." Mary-Margaret said as she shook herself and began thumbing through the mail.

Corrie, remembering London's advice about giving Mary-Margaret her space, decided that she wouldn't press her luck jeopardizing the progress they had made. "Well… I've got to go… I'll see you next Friday."

Mary-Margaret looked up from her mail and took in Corrie's face. A little more ice melted away from the wall. "I'll see you… Oh... this is yours… driver's license renewal."

"Thank you… Mary-Margaret." Corrie said as she reached out to take the envelope from Mary-Margaret. She lingered for a moment as she looked at each of their hands gripping opposite ends of the envelope. After that brief moment of near contact, Mary-Margaret gingerly released the envelope.

"You're welcome Corrie." Mary-Margaret said with a faint smile. Corrie returned the faint smile with one of her own before turning and walking to the door. As she reached the threshold, Mary-Margaret called out to her.

"Corrie?" Mary-Margaret said. Corrie turned her head to look at her. Mary-Margaret tilted her head to one side. "You can call me Emme."

Corrie dropped her eyes for a moment in contemplative thought before lifting them, flashing a brief, warm smile and turning to make her final exit.

_**END OF FLASHBACK**_

"I have hope." Corrie said with tears glistening. "That conversation gave me hope."

"Hope springs eternal." Maddie said.

"I guess it does." Corrie responded.

"So what's your next move?" London asked.

"I have an idea but I am going to need help from both of you." Corrie said. "Can you guys sing?"

London and Maddie looked at each other with loaded expressions. "I like her idea already." Maddie said.

"Me too." London responded with a smile.

* * *

**Saturday, September 8, 2018 – London and Maddie's house**

"I need sex." Mary-Margaret said as she reclined in the large leather chair. "It's been two months and I am hornier than a six-horned mountain goat."

"We'd help you out but… you know." Maddie joked.

"I'm serious! You don't know how much you miss it until it's gone. And I miss the hell out of it." Mary-Margaret said.

"Don't you… uhh…" London motioned with her hand to Mary-Margaret's center.

"It's not the same." Mary-Margaret said. "I mean, it's good. Don't get me wrong. But it's better when someone else is rockin' the boat."

"Amen, sister." London said.

"Call her." Maddie said.

"Not yet. I have to be sure." Mary-Margaret said.

"Didn't you say you had lunch with her yesterday and it was nice?" Maddie said.

"It was nice. We were talking, not forcing it. It felt good, like we were connecting." Mary-Margaret said.

"So what are you waiting for?" London said.

"That tingle." Mary-Margaret said. "I felt it before and I want to feel it again. When I feel it, it will be time."

"Considering I am an advocate of the tingle, I can't argue with you." London said.

"I need sex." Mary-Margaret repeated.

"Call her." Maddie said again.

"I am not calling her for a booty call." Mary-Margaret said. "I don't want that."

"I'm calling her." London said as she picked up the cordless phone.

"YOU ARE NOT CALLING HER!" Mary-Margaret shot up out of the seat and lunged for London.

"I am just asking her a hypothetical question. As far as she is concerned, you are not here right now." London said.

"I will kill you little girl if you mess this up." Mary-Margaret said.

"I promise, I'll ask her hypothetically." London said as she dialed.

"_Hello?"_

"Hey Corr! Quick hypothetical question."

"_Okay, shoot."_

"If Mary-Margaret called you right now and asked you for some friends-with-benefits sex, would you do it?"

"_What?"_

"A booty call. A friendly booty call. Would you do it?"

"_I… I'd think about it. I am sick and tired of this vibrator I bought."_

"You'd think about it?"

"_I'd think about it, but I wouldn't do it. I want the emotion that goes along with it. If she gets up and leaves in the morning afterwards then I wouldn't want it… Why are you asking me this?"_

"Maddie and I are being busybodies and we're trying to conjure up ways for you two to get together."

"_We can't force this. It's got to be right this time."_

"Whatever you need, just let us know."

"_Just help me with my plan… You and Maddie are good friends. Thank you."_

"Lunch, Monday?"

"_You got it. Bye."_

"Bye." London then hung up and looked at Mary-Margaret. "No sex for you until the time is right."

Mary-Margaret looked at her right hand and wiggled her fingers. "Well, I guess we get to play a little while longer." London and Maddie laughed.

"What's the next movie?" Maddie asked.

"I don't care. As long as it's a comedy. I'm done with crying." Mary-Margaret said.

* * *

**Friday, September 14, 2008 – Boston Celtics' Headquarters, Christina Andrews' office.**

"Here you go Tina. The proof just came back from the printer." Corrie said as she handed her boss a glossy paper that was going to become a giant poster displayed along the concourse at Boston Garden.

"Thanks. But you didn't have to walk it in here. You could've emailed me." Christina said.

"I know. I just felt like taking a walk." Corrie said sweetly.

"You miss her, don't you?" Christina asked.

"Huh?" Corrie asked.

"I asked you if you missed her. I know you and Mary-Margaret are close." Christina said.

"She's my best friend and we had a little falling out. But we're getting better. Yeah, I miss her." Corrie said.

"Not that it's any of my business, but the grapevine has ears. And according to the grapevine, you understated your relationship with her just a bit. Didn't you?" Christina said. Corrie didn't respond. "The only reason I ask is because I can see by your demeanor lately just how happy she makes you. Both of you are my best employees but more importantly, you're nice people. And I like to see nice people happy."

"We're working on us." Corrie said. "I… had my eyes opened to a problem that I had and I have solved it. Now I'm working on repairing the damage I caused to her."

"Well I wish you the best of luck. You two look as if you're made for each other." Christina said.

"I appreciate that." Corrie said. "I'm… gonna head to the cafeteria for lunch. You want anything?"

"No thanks. My husband is meeting me for lunch." Christina said.

"Okay, well I'll see you later." Corrie said. Christina waved and Corrie walked out of her office, heading to her desk to grab her purse before going down to the cafeteria. When she walked back to her desk, she had a surprise waiting for her.

"Hey Corr." Mary-Margaret said. Corrie's face lit up like it used to for London. Corrie moved quickly to keep her giddiness in check.

"Hi Emme. What are you doing here?" Corrie asked politely.

"Well I do still technically work here." Mary-Margaret said with playful sarcasm. "But I stopped by to see if you wanted to have lunch."

"I was just headed down to the cafeteria. You want to join me?" Corrie asked.

"How about you join me at Pizzeria Regina." Mary-Margaret offered.

"How about I get my jacket." Corrie said with a chuckle.

The two women went down to Mary-Margaret's car and took the short drive to the pizza restaurant. After placing their order and getting their drinks, they began chatting.

"You know Ted and Cecilia finally moved out." Corrie said, referring to their neighbors down the hall.

"Are you serious?" Mary-Margaret said.

"They found a townhouse in Waltham." Corrie said.

"They've gotta deal with MassPike every day. No thank you." Mary-Margaret said.

"So do Maddie and London! So I guess us getting a house in Wellesley is out, huh?" Corrie joked. Just then the magnitude of what was just said hit both of them as they gave each other an awkward look. "I shouldn't have…"

"Don't… apologize." Mary-Margaret said. "It was a joke."

"I miss you." Corrie blurted out, immediately wishing that she had kept quiet.

Mary-Margaret dropped her head. "I miss you too." She said without looking up. At this point, the two women were unsure of or perhaps unwilling to push the envelope any further as Mary-Margaret rolled right over that speed bump. "Ted and Cecelia…"

Corrie then snapped out of her light fog. "Ted and Cecelia. Right. So anyway, you'd better not complain about the MassPike. You've got to take it when you take those classes at BC."

"I'll be on I-90 for like a minute!" Mary-Margaret said.

"Still, it's I-90." Corrie said with a smile that was returned before pausing. "Look, I'm not asking you to move back in or anything like that, but… I was wondering if… you wanted to go to the cancer benefit with me?" Corrie said with trepidation, unsure of Mary-Margaret's response.

Mary-Margaret took a moment to search Corrie's face for signs of intent. "Are you asking me out on a date?" Mary-Margaret said in a playful prosecutorial tone.

"Yes I am." Corrie proclaimed. "I'm asking you out on a date… to a black tie affair."

"Well… I don't have any black ties…" Mary-Margaret said earning a raised eyebrow and a smirk from Corrie. "But I think I can scrounge up a stunning dress and some heels. Yes. I'll go out with you."

"It's a date then." Corrie said.

"It's a date." Mary-Margaret said, sticking her hand out to shake Corrie's. The beautiful brunette smirked again before stretching out her hand and firmly gripping the hand of the coffee-skinned beauty. Just then, the pizza they ordered arrived at the table. "And speaking of dates, we've got one with this pizza!" She said just before they both dug in for a satisfying lunch and the knowledge that the icy wall had thawed just a little bit more.

After lunch, Mary-Margaret headed back to Corrie's building to drop her off on her way back to her office.

"So when are you coming back here?" Corrie asked.

"After the gala's over. London put me on detail after we…" Mary-Margaret was about to say that London put her on detail after they had their big fight but she checked herself.

"I know." Corrie said softly.

"I didn't mean it like that. I…" Mary-Margaret started.

"Emme. It's okay. I know what you meant." Corrie said. "I understand."

"This… isn't permanent." Mary-Margaret said.

"I understand. You don't have to explain." Corrie said. "I'm not going anywhere." Corrie paused. "Thanks for lunch. Don't forget your mail on the back seat." Corrie smiled and then went to open her door.

"Corr?" Mary-Margaret called to her. Corrie turned to look at her. Just then, Mary-Margaret slowly leaned forward and gently pressed her lips to Corrie's. Corrie returned what was to that point, the softest, soulful kiss that they had shared.

When their lips parted, they gazed at each other warmly for a moment. "I'll call you." Corrie said before opening her door. Corrie then flashed the warm version of her killer smile before making her exit. "Bye."

"Bye Corr." Mary-Margaret said softly before Corrie closed the door and headed for the elevator.

* * *

**Thursday, October 11, 2018 – 10 pm – London and Maddie's home – Wellesley, Massachusetts**

It was the night before the big Tipton cancer gala. Besides the upper level Tipton International executives and select rank and file employees, Marion Moseby being one of the executives, some of Boston's movers and shakers had been invited to the event including Maddie's senior partners, members of the Boston Celtics front office, the mayor of Boston and the governor of Massachusetts.

London also made sure that among the invitees were all of the important people in her life. She invited both of her mothers, Sandra and Brandi, all eight of her best friends, Raven, Chelsea, Lilly, Miley, Mary-Margaret, Corrie, Sandrine and Chloe as well as C.J and his wife Barbara and Zack and his fiancée Max. Unable to attend would be Esteban, who went back home for his sister's wedding, Carey, who was performing in Atlantic City that same night, and her beau Arwin, who was in Tokyo, Japan competing in the PBA season opening tournament.

London had just hung up the phone in the kitchen and headed upstairs to the bedroom where Maddie was sitting in bed reading a book. She slipped her bedroom shoes off and climbed into bed.

"You coming to bed already?" Maddie asked as she took off her reading glasses.

"Sandrine ordered me off the phone a half an hour ago." London said as she laid her head on Maddie's shoulder.

"So who were you talking to?" Maddie asked.

"I called Raven and Chelsea, then Miley and…" London yawned. "Lilly. They'll all be in town by tomorrow morning."

"Well C.J called my cell phone while you were downstairs. He wanted to make sure they're gonna have milk there. Seems to be all Barbara can drink right now." Maddie said.

"I told C.J. two days ago that we're gonna have plenty of milk for his little pregnant wife!" London mildly exclaimed.

"He's nervous. It's his first baby!" Maddie said.

"I know." London said as she closed her eyes.

"I'm sure I'd be like that too." Maddie said as she stroked London's hair.

"You know Maddie… I've been doing some thinking." London said.

"You've been doing a lot of thinking. You've gone through a whole bottle of Advil this month." Maddie said.

"I've had a lot on my mind. But there's something in particular I want to talk to you about." London said.

"I'm all ears." Maddie said.

With her head still on Maddie's shoulder, London opened her eyes. "I want to have a baby."

Maddie's face registered mild shock. She was expecting a declaration like that from London at some point, just not so soon. "You… want to have a baby?"

London lifted her head and looked at Maddie. "I want to have your baby."

"I… wasn't… expecting you to say that… so soon." Maddie said, the shock still evident in her voice.

"It's not the right time, is it?" London asked. "I mean with your job and everything…"

"Yes, I mean NO! The time is fine! It's… the right time! It's… YES! I'd love to have… for you to have…" Maddie then took a moment to take a deep breath. "We're… gonna have a baby?" She asked softly.

"I can make an appointment with a fertility specialist on Monday." London said sweetly.

"And you're sure you want to carry… 'cause I can carry…" Maddie started to offer.

"I want to do this. I've wanted to carry our child ever since we told each other we loved each other." London said.

Maddie looked at London for a moment as tears welled up in both of their eyes. Maddie then embraced London tightly as they started to cry. "I love you." Maddie whispered.

"I love you too." London said through her tears.

"We're gonna have a baby." Maddie said with a tearful smile as she hugged her wife.

"We're gonna have a baby." London repeated as they hugged each other. London then slowly released the hug and began softly kissing Maddie. The kissing began to build, reaching its crescendo when London slid down onto her back allowing Maddie to press her body to her, beginning a night of lovemaking in celebration of the biggest decision they had made in their young marriage.

* * *

**Thursday, October 11, 2018 – 10:30 pm – London and Maddie's condo – Boston**

Mary-Margaret had just stepped out of the Jacuzzi, taking advantage of the large tub in London's bathroom, pampering herself with a long soak when the phone rang. Wrapping the bath sheet around her dripping wet body she picked up the cordless off of the sink. It was Corrie. She had told Corrie the month before that she was staying at London and Maddie's condo.

"Hello?"

"_Hey. Did I wake you?"_

"No. I just got out of the tub. London's got a Jacuzzi!"

"_I'm gonna pretend you didn't just say that."_

"I'm gonna pretend I don't know why you just said that."

"_I just wanted to see what time you wanted me to pick you up."_

"You're picking me up?"

"_I did ask you out."_

"True. You did. Well, it starts at eight so, pick me up at eight-thirty."

"_Fashionably late. Very nice."_

"You know how I roll."

"_I do." _Corrie paused. _"Get some sleep."_

"Going to bed right now."

"_Sweet dreams."_

Mary-Margaret paused as she sweetened up her voice. "You too. Good night."

"_Good night."_

Mary-Margaret hung up the phone and walked over to the vanity to apply her lotion. She stared at her reflection for a moment, fixating her gaze on her eyes. "Almost time, Mary-Margaret. Almost time."

* * *

**The gala is next and the whole gang, minus one or two, is together. What pray tell am I setting up? How close are Mary-Margaret and Corrie to getting back together? Will London become pregnant? And when is the important chapter that will link this story to two future stories coming up? Oops! I didn't mention that before? Well now you know. Be on the lookout for a chapter that will reveal the beginning of a mystery that will spread across not just this story but the next Liley sequel (Back to the Future) and the next Chrave sequel (Love Conquers All). And no it's not the next chapter. Now I've given you plenty of reasons to come back for chapter 15 and just as many reasons to review what has just become, in the number of words, the longest fan fiction story I have ever written. And there is more in store. Thanks for coming this far. Let's keep riding, shall we? PLEASE REVIEW.**


	15. All I Want is You

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**Author's Note: ****Excuse me if I don't describe all of the evening attire in this chapter. My mind has been on overload trying to figure out what all the ladies and gentlemen will be wearing at this function so let's do this. While you are reading, you fill in the blanks as to what you see them wearing. I am going to focus on the interaction between the characters. And with London, Maddie and all their girls in attendance, there should be plenty of interaction to go around.**

**

* * *

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**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 15**_

**All I Want is You**

**Friday, October 12, 2018 ****– 8:15 pm - The Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common**

With the Tipton Hotel undergoing a $45 million renovation, the Susan G. Komen Benefit for the Cure would have a new temporary home at the Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common. The gorgeous 3,000 square-foot ballroom featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook Boston Common was London's first choice of venue after her own flagship hotel. The glistening silver and white of the dinnerware was eclipsed in brightness only by the magnificent hues of pink, the official color of Susan G. Komen for the Cure that adorned the ballroom.

London busied herself, buzzing around with the other event organizers making sure that everything was on schedule. Maddie, meanwhile, kept herself occupied by mingling with the early arriving guests. After Sandrine ordered London out of the kitchen assuring her that everything was under control and that she should mingle with her guests, London caught up with Maddie.

"Governor Murray, thank you so much for coming." Maddie said to the current governor of Massachusetts, Tim Murray.

"It was my pleasure Ms. Fitzpatrick…" The governor started.

"Ahh-ahh." Maddie corrected.

"I'm sorry… Mrs. Tipton." The governor chuckled just as London walked up.

"Is my wife giving you a hard time, Your Excellency?" London said, addressing the governor by his Constitutional title.

"Please, I feel as if I should have a robe and scepter when you call me that. Governor or Tim will be fine." The governor said. "And your wife is delightful."

"She is." London beamed. "Thank you so much for joining us here."

"As I told your wife, it's my pleasure." The governor said as he was tapped by one of his aides. "Will you excuse me?"

"Of course. We'll catch up with you later." London said before the governor stepped away.

"Sandrine kicked you out of the kitchen, huh?" Maddie said.

"I thought the name of the company was Tipton International not Mitterand International." London pouted.

"You know she wants you to enjoy your spotlight." Maddie said.

"And I love her for it." London said.

"I know you do." Maddie said. Just then, emerging from a group of people about twenty feet in front of them was Chloe. "Oh! You look like a princess!"

"I feel like I'm at the prom!" Chloe said as she greeted London and Maddie.

"Well you look like you could be the queen. You look beautiful." London said.

"Thank you." Chloe said. "You two are breathtaking as usual. So where is my girl?"

"She's in the kitchen." London said. "I told her she had ten minutes to turn things over to the site coordinator. And that was fifteen minutes ago."

"She'll be out here soon." Maddie said. "And she's gonna save all her dances for you."

"She better. I spent seventy bucks on this Victoria's Secret underwear and it better not go to waste!" Chloe said.

"Seventy bucks? That thing better be trimmed in gold!" A familiar voice rang out from a crowd of people to their left. When the crowd parted, Raven could be seen hand-in-hand with Chelsea right behind her.

"Diva!" London called out, placing kisses on both Raven's cheeks before doing the same to Chelsea. The New Yorkers then slid over to do the same to Maddie before turning to Chloe.

"You three look good enough to eat!" Raven said.

"Not us, but you two!" Chloe said. "How are the kids?"

"Growing too fast, moving even faster." Chelsea said with a smile.

"The divas from Belle Meade with you?" Maddie asked referring to Miley and Lilly.

"No they took a separate car. They had a stop to make." Raven said. "So… what's going on tonight? I know that no London Tipton production takes place without something big happening. So what's up?"

"Well it's not me tonight. I promise." London said.

"Are you gonna tell them? About what we talked about last night?" Maddie asked.

"When everybody else gets here." London said.

"What? You've gotta tell us now." Chelsea said.

"It'll keep until everybody else shows up." London said.

"Come on, L.T.! It's not like you and Maddie are gonna have a baby!" Raven exclaimed. London and Maddie remained uncharacteristically stone-faced. Raven's gorgeous hazel eyes darted back and forth between the two for a second. "Oh… my… God… you two ARE gonna have a baby!" Raven incredulously exclaimed.

"Are you?" Chelsea asked as she bounced on her toes.

"Is Raven right?" Chloe asked with her mouth agape.

London looked at Maddie before speaking. "I'm going to a fertility specialist on Monday." London said with a smile.

"AHHH!" Raven squealed as she bear hugged London. Chelsea stood off to the side with her mouth agape before putting her hands over her mouth and smiling. Chloe stood with her weight on one foot slowly shaking her head and smirking.

"You two are unbelievable. Trying to hold out on US, of all people." Chloe said as she hugged Maddie.

"You are going to make outstanding parents." Chelsea said.

"I hope so. I am so excited!" London said.

"We'll see if you feel that way in month number nine." Raven deadpanned.

"Or month number eight or number seven…" Chelsea added.

"Okay, now you're scaring me." London said.

"Scared about what?" That question came from the unmistakable Tennessee twang of Mrs. Miley Stewart-Truscott.

"Hey you!" Maddie said, embracing Miley. "Where's Lilly?"

"She saw an hors d'oeuvre tray and well… you know." Miley said.

"I have never seen someone her size eat so much and not gain any weight!" Raven said. "God, I hate her!" She said causing everyone to laugh.

"I shudder to think what are grocery bill will look like if and when she gets pregnant." Miley said.

"You better funnel a couple of extra bucks that way Maddie." Chloe said.

"Whoa! Wait! Maddie? Are you pregnant?" Miley asked.

"No. But this ones gonna be soon." Maddie said pointing to London.

"You've got an appointment with the turkey baster?" Miley exclaimed. "OHHH! That's wonderful!" Miley said as she group hugged them both.

"There are only two things that make my wife react like that – sex and pregnancy. And since we're not having sex, who's pregnant?" Lilly said as she walked up with a plate full of crab cake balls, pâté and caviar.

"By the looks of your plate, you!" Raven quipped.

"Ha ha. Very funny. Now, who am I buying baby stuff for?" Lilly deadpanned. "No let me guess. So, Miley was hugging London and Maddie when I walked up and London looks like the dam is going to burst any second so I say it's you. Congratulations, London." She said sweetly as she hugged and kissed London then Maddie.

"She's good." Chelsea said.

"She's a teacher, Chels. Observation is ninety percent of her job." Raven said.

"Where are my mothers?" London asked as she looked around. "I'm going to call them. Excuse me." London reached inside her evening bag to pull out her phone.

"Stay away from the kitchen!" Maddie called out to her.

"Don't worry about that. She's been banned." The seductive voice of Sandrine responded milliseconds before she appeared.

"Damn!" Chelsea said as she took in the sight of the magnificently attired Sandrine.

"Honey, I'm normally the one that blurts that out. But I'll give you a pass, 'cause she looks hot!" Raven said.

"You are going to make me blush!" Sandrine said.

"No way. That's my job." Chloe said before sidling up to Sandrine and placing a soft but meaningful kiss on the taller brunette.

When they pulled apart, Sandrine stretched her eyes open. "Wow!" She softly exclaimed. She then turned to Miley, who was standing next to her. "Am I blushing?"

"Redder'n a Granny Smith apple." Miley responded.

"Hi." Chloe purred.

"Hi." Sandrine responded with equal purr.

"Whoo! It got hot in here all of a sudden!" Raven said.

"Come on guys. Let's go on inside. We've got tables reserved near the front." Maddie said to the group.

About ten minutes after they took their seats and moments before London went to the stage for the first time, several other expected guests arrived.

"Hey guys." Mary-Margaret said as she walked up to the table with Corrie at her side.

"I was beginning to worry about you two!" Maddie said as she stood up to greet them.

"Hi Sandrine, Chloe." Corrie said as she waved.

"Looking good there. Ladies." London said as she greeted them. "Let me do the honors. Mary-Margaret Buchanan, Corrie Buckingham… this is my mother Sandra, my stepmother Brandi, and my four best friends on this planet, Raven Baxter, Chelsea Daniels, Miley Stewart and Lilly Truscott-Stewart."

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you." Corrie said. "We've heard nothing but great things about you all."

"Now I know London's been lying!" Raven joked, sending the table into hysterics.

"Mary-Margaret, hi! It's been a while." Chelsea said.

Mary-Margaret stepped forward to shake Chelsea's hand. "It's good to see you again! How have you been?"

"Fine, thanks." Chelsea said. In a turning of the tables, it was now Corrie that stood by and felt a twinge of jealousy over the fact that Mary-Margaret knew a beautiful woman that she didn't know about.

"You two know each other." Corrie said with a half-hearted smile.

"I worked at her law firm for a couple of months before we started dating. I told you that." Mary-Margaret said warmly.

"That's right. You did. I didn't connect the dots." Corrie said.

"Yeah. You asked me out…" Chelsea said.

"You shot me down… nicely though." Mary-Margaret said with a smile.

"I don't know any other way." Chelsea said. "You two make a great couple."

"Sort of… couple. This is our first official date after a… separation." Mary-Margaret said. In another role reversal, it was now Corrie that had a bad taste in her mouth after hearing Mary-Margaret's declaration. London and Maddie saw the flash of discomfort on Corrie's face and moved quickly.

"Emme, can I talk to you for a second. I have a question about one of the set-ups." London said.

"Sure." Mary-Margaret said as London took her by the hand and led her away from the table.

Meanwhile, Maddie, who was still standing next to Corrie, made her move. She placed her hands on Corrie's arms as she went to embrace her again. "You look beautiful." Maddie said before moving closer and whispering into her ear. "Don't give up now. You're almost there. Remember your plan."

Maddie pulled away from the hug and looked Corrie in the eye. "You're right. Jealousy and nerves don't mix, I guess." Corrie said.

Away from the table, London gave Mary-Margaret a little friendly advice. "You may want to cool it with the 'sort of couple' and 'separation' talk. Corrie didn't like that." London said.

"How do you know that she didn't like that?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"It was written all over her face." London said.

"It was? I should apologize." Mary-Margaret said.

"Don't tell her I said anything." London said.

"Discretion is my middle name." Mary-Margaret said. "Actually it's Alicia but, you know."

"And they say Maddie and I are crazy." London deadpanned just as one of the event organizers tapped her on the shoulder. London turned to face her.

"Ms. Tipton, it's time." The young lady said.

"Thank you." London said to the woman. "I'll talk to you later." She said to Mary-Margaret.

"Okay." Mary-Margaret said before heading back over to the table.

"Everything okay?" Corrie asked as Mary-Margaret sat down.

"Fine. London just had a question about one of the displays in the lobby." Mary-Margaret said. She then leaned in to whisper to Corrie. "Look, I thought about what I said… about the separation thing. I'm sorry I put our business out there like that."

"It's okay. You told the truth. The truth shall set us free, right?" Corrie answered.

"Right." Mary-Margaret responded.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please?" The young woman on stage announced. "Good Evening. I'm Rebecca Gordon-Marshall, Managing Director of Marketing Communications and head of the events division for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. On behalf of the entire Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization, I would like to thank each and every one of you for coming out this evening to support us in the fight to eradicate breast cancer once and for all." The more than 200 people in attendance applauded that statement. "I would now like to introduce the woman that is the reason why we are here this evening, the Chief Operating Officer of Tipton International, the owner of the Boston Celtics, and as of this afternoon, the newest member of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Board of Directors… a wonderful human being and a woman I consider to be a friend, Mrs. London Tipton-Fitzpatrick."

A round of applause accompanied with a standing ovation greeted London as she took the stage. She looked down at the stunned but delighted looks on the faces of her wife and their friends. She hadn't told anyone of her appointment to Komen's Board of Directors. She wanted to save it as a surprise.

"Thank you." London said over the applause. "Thank you very much." She said as the applause died down and the people began taking their seats. "Thank you Rebecca for that wonderful introduction. My wife is going to kill me when we get home because I didn't tell her about my appointment to the Board of Directors. I wanted it to be a surprise. Surprise, honey!" Everyone in the audience laughed. "I want to personally thank each one of you for coming out tonight and joining us on this special occasion."

London continued with her speech. "Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure and tonight's benefit, Susan G. Komen for the Cure has invested over one billion dollars to fulfill their promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. Komen is led by more than one-hundred thousand survivors and activists that serve as front line soldiers in the fight to end breast cancer forever. The organization consists of local activists in one-hundred twenty-five cities and communities, mobilizing more than one million friends and neighbors every year through events like the Komen Race for the Cure Series - the world's largest and most successful awareness and fundraising event for breast cancer. They are advocates at the local, state and federal level, fighting for the screening and treatment programs that save lives and the research that brings them closer to the cure. They are global citizens working with local health groups around the world and through their web site, , to help millions of women in nearly two hundred countries overcome the social, cultural and economic barriers to breast health and treatment." London continued. "It is my honor, privilege… and duty, not only as a citizen of this world, but as a woman to promote this cause. We must find a cure and with your help, we WILL find a cure." London's passionate words were met with applause yet again. "At this time, please direct your attention to the screen behind me as you hear from a few of those front line soldiers."

London then stepped away from the podium as the lights began to dim. She shot a quick glance down at the table where Maddie was sitting. Before the room went completely dark, Maddie looked up at London and mouthed, "I love you so much." London smiled warmly before turning to watch the video presentation.

When the presentation ended, applause filled the room yet again. London stepped back up to the dais. "Whatever you do, when you leave here tonight, please join the fight. Volunteer with an affiliate near you. Contact Komen for the Cure about volunteering. Have your college-age children apply for the internship program at their corporate headquarters in Dallas, Texas. More soldiers on the front lines mean that we have a better shot at winning this fight. Be a soldier for the cure." Another standing ovation followed her rallying cry. "As you are mingling tonight, please stop at one of the information tables in the lobby if you haven't done so already. Again, thank you for coming tonight and please, enjoy yourselves. Thank you." London's words were met with one more round of applause as she received a hug from Rebecca Gordon-Marshall as she left the stage. She shook the hands of people at the various tables in her path back to her own table. Just before reaching her table, she came across a set of late arriving friends.

"You guys made it! Thank you for coming!" London said to Zack, his fiancée Max, C.J. and his wife Barbara.

"Thank you for inviting us. You were phenomenal up there." C.J. said as embraced London.

"That organization is phenomenal." London responded. "Barbara! You are so pretty! And so pregnant!" London referred to the seven-and-a-half month pregnancy of Barbara.

"I haven't seen my feet in a month!" Barbara said as she embraced London.

"Zack." London said. "How ya doin' Big Man?"

"Livin' large and in charge!" Zack said before getting a stiff but discreet elbow from Max. "When… she allows me to… be in charge."

"That's more like it baby." Max said, giving Zack a quick peck on the cheek.

"Well all of you clean up very well." London said of their formal attire.

"You're not lookin' so bad there yourself, sweet thang!" Zack said.

"I thought… you had retired that." Max said with playful sternness.

"Sweet Thang never dies. It just takes a vacation from time to time." Zack said.

"You two are too much!" London said before spotting Marion. "Marion!"

Mr. Moseby came over to the group. "Good Evening, everyone! My, don't we all look spiffy this evening! And Barbara, I don't know if I've ever seen an expectant mother so radiant!" Barbara blushed and melted into her famous giggle. "Please make sure you save me a dance."

"I will." Barbara said before giggling again. C.J. simply rolled his eyes and smirked.

"Have you talked to my mother yet?" London asked.

"On my way to see her now." Marion said. "Right after I say hello to the mayor. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye Marion." London said.

"Excuse me London." Sandrine whispered to her. "We're ready for…"

"Okay." London said. "Guys, I've got to go, but find me before you leave." London said to the group before walking back over to the table.

"Welcome back sweetie!" Brandi said.

"Hey Mom… and Mom." London said, not forgetting Sandra. "I'm sorry but Sandy and I need to borrow Maddie and Chloe for a few minutes. We'll bring them back. Promise."

"We'll be here." Sandra said. "Uhh… London?" London came over and leaned in to hear Sandra's whisper. "Is… Marion avoiding me?"

"No. He said he's going to say hello to the mayor, then he's coming over here." London said. "You really like him, don't you?"

"I don't like him." Sandra said. "I love him."

London was about to respond when Maddie tapped her. "Let's go Princess."

"I'll talk to you later." London said before straightening up and flashing Corrie and almost imperceptible look of acknowledgement. And with that, the four women headed to the side of the stage and disappeared.

After about a minute of small talk, Corrie's phone rang. Corrie reached in her evening bag to check the caller ID. "It's my Mom." Corrie said before answering her phone. "Hi Mom."

"_We're all set. Make your exit and let's do this."_

"Okay Mom, hold on a second." Corrie said. "I'm gonna take this somewhere private. I'll be right back." Corrie said to Mary-Margaret.

"Okay." Mary-Margaret said with a smile before watching Corrie stand up and head out of the ballroom through one of the doors off to the far side of the stage.

Raven looked at now half-empty table and immediately had suspicions about everyone's whereabouts. "Something's going on here." Raven said.

"What's wrong Rae?" Chelsea asked.

"London, Maddie, Chloe and Sandrine disappear then a minute later Corrie gets a private call from her mother. I smell something fishy here." Raven said.

"Looks like a coincidence to me." Lilly said.

"Yeah Raven. I'm sure it's just a coincidence." Sandra said.

"With this group, there is no such thing as coincidences." Raven said. "The heifer squad is up to something."

"Chloe and Sandrine are heifers now too?" Chelsea inquired.

"They're heifers by association." Raven joked.

Mary-Margaret laughed. "London and Maddie told me that there was never a dull moment with you all. I see what she means."

"Ladies and Gentlemen." Rebecca Gordon-Marshall had returned to the podium. "Ladies and Gentlemen, if you will please take your seats." There was a low hum of activity in the room that diminished to a whisper as the co-mistress of ceremonies continued. "Tonight we are in for a special treat as we come to the entertainment portion of the evening…"

"I told you they were up to something!" Raven whisper-yelled at the table. Mary-Margaret was now intrigued because Corrie, who usually make her phone conversations with her mother as short as possible, had yet to return to the table. She was now under the belief that Corrie was with the other four women.

"Make their first appearance anywhere in the world… Let's put our hands together and welcome to the stage… Corrie B. and the Divas!" Rebecca said as the large screen on the stage lifted and the five women emerged in a line from left to right of London, Maddie, Corrie, Sandrine then Chloe. While the other four women stopped at the microphones mid-stage, Corrie proceeded forward to take her position at the microphone that was front and center.

"Thank you." Corrie began as the applause died down. "I'm Corrie B., and these lovely ladies are my Divas. And tonight, I am dedicating this song to someone special in my life that means more to me than the words to any song. So… here we go…. One, two, one, two, three, four…"

**(strong piano note)**

**Christina Aguilera's Come On Over Baby**

All five women: Come on over, come on over baby  
Come on over, come on over baby  
Come on over, come on over baby  
(Chloe and Maddie overlapping – "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!") Come on over, come on over baby

Corrie: Hey girl, don't you know  
I got something going on  
I got an invitation  
Don't you keep me waiting all night long

Divas: I know, you know

Corrie: So baby don't

Divas: Pretend you won't

Corrie: Keep me guessing with ya

Divas: You will or you won't

Corrie: Don't want to play the (All): game with you, baby

Corrie: So listen to me…

Chorus:

Divas: All I want is you

Corrie: Come over here baby

Divas: All I want is you

Corrie: You know you make me go crazy

Divas: All I want is you

Corrie: Now baby don't be shy

You better cross the line

I'm gonna love you right cause

All: All I want is you

Mary-Margaret's mouth dropped open in shock as she watched Corrie perform. Corrie's last public performance in college had ended in disaster when she slipped and fell on stage twisting her ankle. Corrie vowed that day to never sing in public again. And here she was putting that aside for the love she is now professing in her song.

Chorus continued:

Come on over, come on over baby

(Improvisational vamp by Corrie)  
Come on over, come on over baby

Corrie: I'm not just talking  
About your sexuality (Maddie whispering): your sexuality

But I can't help myself  
When you put your hands on me (Maddie whispering): when your put your hands on me

Divas: It's paradise (Maddie whispering): It's paradise  
Corrie: When you and I

Divas: Get close, get tight  
Corrie: When I wanna I wanna  
Divas: Go on all night  
Corrie: I wanna play that (All) game with you baby  
Corrie: Listen to me...

Chorus:

Divas: All I want is you

Corrie: Come over here baby

Divas: All I want is you

Corrie: You know you make me go crazy

Divas: All I want is you

Corrie: Now baby don't be shy

You better cross the line

I'm gonna love you right cause

All: All I want is you

Divas: Come on over, come on over baby

(Improvisational vamp by Corrie)  
Divas: Come on over, come on over

By this point in the song, the whole ballroom is rocking and swaying to the infectious beat of the song and the surprisingly good choreography of the women on stage. During the instrumental interlude, Corrie decided to get the crowd hyped up.

"Come on everybody, put your hands together like this!" Corrie began leading the crowd in rhythmic clapping before launching into a spoken vamp.

Bridge (Corrie spoken vamp):

Don't ya wanna be the one tonight?  
We can do exactly what you like  
Don't ya wanna be just you and me?  
We can do what comes naturally  
I got a thing for you  
Got my mind made up  
And I'm serious  
Never been more baby  
Don't show it but its real

And it right here

Divas: Come on, come on, come on, over (repeat 4 times with Corrie vamping in between)

You give me  
What a girl feels  
What a girl likes  
What a girl needs  
What a girl wants (Corrie mirrors the line and vamps)

All I  
All I want is you (Corrie: Ohhhh, baby)  
All I want is you  
Corrie: Come over here baby  
Divas: All I want is you  
Corrie: You know you make me go crazy  
Divas: All I want is you  
Corrie: Now baby don't be shy  
You better cross the line  
I'm gonna love you right cause

Chorus:

Divas: All I want is you

Corrie: Come over here baby

Divas: All I want is you

Corrie: You know you make me go crazy

Divas: All I want is you

Corrie: Now baby don't be shy

You better cross the line

I'm gonna love you right cause

All: All I want is (Corrie) you

And with the end of the song a raucous standing ovation echoed in the ballroom as the other women on stage enthusiastically hugged Corrie for giving the performance of her life. The entire crowd in the ballroom applauded and cheered with one notable exception.

Mary-Margaret sat in her seat gazing at the stage. At that moment it was unclear what emotions she had going through her mind as her face registered no expression. After receiving her hugs, Corrie immediately locked eyes with Mary-Margaret and saw the woman sitting almost catatonic. With everything that Corrie had left inside her, she walked off of the stage and made a beeline for the motionless Mary-Margaret. When she reached the table, she squatted down beside her. Mary-Margaret slowly swiveled around in the seat to look down at Corrie.

"That song said everything that is in my heart." Corrie began. "All I want now, all I ever wanted was you. You are the one that drives me insane with every possible emotion I could experience. Emme… I love you. I truly love you and I miss you and…"

"Shut up Corrie." Mary-Margaret said matter-of-factly. "Okay? Just shut up." Corrie's widened as her spine stiffened. "How else am I going to kiss you if you keep running your mouth?" Mary-Margaret delivered before the stony façade began cracking, leaving a satisfied smile in its wake. "I love you too." With that, Mary-Margaret cupped Corrie's face and pressed her lips to the songstress causing their table and the adjoining tables that heard the exchange to erupt in cheers.

When they pulled apart, Corrie bit her bottom lip and beamed. As she wiped her lip gloss away from Mary-Margaret's lips with her thumb, she mused, "Well, I guess our separation is over."

"You better believe it is." Mary-Margaret said smiling brightly as she threw her arms around Corrie's neck, tightly embracing her.

"CUE UP SOME MUSIC!" London bellowed from the stage. "LET'S DO SOME DANCING! THERE'S LOVE IN THE AIR!"

The sound system came back to life as music came spilling out of the speakers as everyone paired up in the dance floor. As they danced, Corrie had her hands loosely draped over Mary-Margaret's shoulders.

"Emme, now that we're back together, you think there's any chance we can take advantage of that Jacuzzi in London's condo before you come back home?" Corrie asked, flashing the devastatingly devilish smile that made Mary-Margaret melt.

"I… think that can be arranged." Mary-Margaret said as she pressed her forehead to Corrie's and continued to dance the night away.

* * *

**Corrie and M2 are back together again! YAY! But you know it's not official in my story until they've "made up" Triple L-style. The title of the next chapter is going to be New Beginnnings, representing new chapters in the lives of Corrie, Mary-Margaret, London and Maddie. Chapter sixteen is next! I had no intention of making this story sixteen chapters, but I've got more story to tell! Come on back! The Triple L Express is still rollin'! PLEASE REVIEW.**

**P.S. – London's speech about breast cancer was borrowed almost verbatim from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure website, . According to the organization, ten million women worldwide could die of breast cancer in the next twenty-five years. But there are nearly two-and-a-half million breast cancer survivors in the United States alone. Visit and register, promising to take care of yourself and becoming an ambassador to the community. Be a soldier on the front line in the fight to end breast cancer forever.**

**P.P.S. – Come on Over Baby (All I Want Is You) – from the album **_**Christina Aguilera**_** – released September 2000 – RCA Records**


	16. New Beginnings

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**Author's Note: ****As promised, the new chapter is entitled **_**New Beginnings**_**. The title indicates fresh starts, new chapters in the lives of the women whose story is being told. This chapter is about three of your favorite couples – Mary-Margaret and Corrie, Chloe and Sandrine and last but certainly not least, London and Maddie.**

**By the way, I need a name for our Mary-Margaret/Corrie couple. So what will it be? MarMarCor, Corrgaret, Mary-Margie? Y'all came up with Chlandrine. I know you can do this.**

**Also, part of this chapter is as M-rated as it gets on this website. I told you a while ago that I was going to tap dance on that fine line. Well… I've got my tap shoes on.**

**

* * *

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**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 16**_

**New Beginnings**

Mary-Margaret and Corrie walked back out to Corrie's silver BMW sedan and got in for the ride back to the condo. For the first couple of minutes of the ride, the two women simply stole sideways glances at one another with small girl-crush type smiles on their faces.

"What?" Corrie said with a chuckle.

"I just can help but think how much I missed you." Mary-Margaret said.

"I felt like I couldn't breathe without you." Corrie said. "I am so sorry I put you through this… ridiculous London OCD thing."

"There was actually a small part… a very… small part of me that liked that nutty part of you." Mary-Margaret said. "It was annoying as hell but you managed to be adorably cute when you did it."

"You think I'm adorably cute?" Corrie asked in a syrupy sweet voice.

"Adorably vampish, sexy, wanna-rip-your-clothes-off and sweat all night with you cute." Mary-Margaret said earning a slow throaty laugh from Corrie that Mary-Margaret had never heard before. "Okay, that laugh was incredibly sexy."

"Really?" Corrie said as she drove.

"I can see why guys like to hear women in bed." Mary-Margaret mused.

"I love to listen to you swear in bed." Corrie said.

"That turns you on, huh?" Mary-Margaret said. "It sounds like you have a little freak in you." Both women began laughing. Corrie's laugh morphed into that sexy laugh that she introduced moments earlier.

"I've got a lotta freak in me." Corrie said. "And I'm gonna have more freak in me when you're inside me."

"You callin' me a freak, Buckingham?" Mary-Margaret playfully challenged.

"I'm callin' you a freak, Buchanan." Corrie teased back.

"Good. Just checking." Mary-Margaret said. Corrie laughed again and shook her head. Mary-Margaret took this opportunity to have a little fun. She unbuckled her seat belt, positioned herself to kneel in the seat and lean over, nibbling at Corrie's ear.

"Uhh… Emme? What are you doing?" Corrie said as the first pleasurable wave of feeling traveled through her body.

"I told London and Maddie a month ago that I was horny." Mary-Margaret said in a low growl as she nibbled on Corrie's earlobe. "It's been three months since I've had intimate physical contact and I can't wait anymore." Corrie felt chills radiate through her as she felt Mary-Margaret's breath when she spoke. "You know how you said that you like to hear me swear in bed? Well you're gonna get your wish because I want to fuck you so bad." Corrie briefly rolled her eyes into the back of her head. It took every ounce of focus she had remaining not to run off the road. "I want you to fuck me until I scream. I am so fucking turned on right now. I am so fucking wet right now. And if we weren't five minutes away from the building, I'd make you pull over so I could make you come right here in this seat."

"My God Emme, don't do that." Corrie purred as she drove.

"Do what, make you wet?" Mary-Margaret cooed. "I know you are. I can see you squirming. Those panties are starting to soak through, aren't they?"

"If you don't stop…" Corrie whispered.

"What? What are you going to do right now, huh? You're driving." Mary-Margaret teased.

"Mmmmm." Corrie hummed as she gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. "Oh my God." She whispered just before suddenly pulling off onto a side street several blocks before Chauncy Street.

"Can't drive and come at the same time, can you?" Mary-Margaret purred. Corrie gripped the steering wheel as tightly as possible with both hands and dropped her head as she vigorously shook her head. Mary-Margaret responded to Corrie's attempt to calm herself by slowly sliding her hand inside the plunging neckline of Corrie's dress and began massaging her nipple.

Corrie's voice shot up several octaves as she whisper-yelled, "Emme!"

"Shhh. Just come for me. Let me see your beautiful ass come." Mary-Margaret whispered.

"I love it when you say shit like that." Corrie whispered breathlessly.

As she continued to press her legs together, sending wave after wave of pleasure through her body, Mary-Margaret continued her manipulation of Corrie's sensitive nipple.

"I… can't believe… I can come like this." Corrie breathlessly said.

Mary-Margaret hovered near her ear. "Yes you can believe it. That's why you're going to let it happen." She said before kissing and gently sucking on the pulse point on Corrie's neck.

"UHH! GOD!" Corrie exclaimed.

"That's it baby." Mary-Margaret whispered after returning to Corrie's ear.

"I'm gonna come so hard!" Corrie whisper-spat.

"You deserve it baby." Mary-Margaret whispered again as she gently pinched and rolled Corrie's nipple beneath her dress.

"I need you so fucking bad!" Corrie breathlessly exclaimed.

"You've got me baby. Come on. Come for me." Mary-Margaret purred. If Mary-Margaret's last sentence sent Corrie rocketing toward the edge, her next sentence would push Corrie over. "I love you baby."

"AAAHHH FUUUUCK!" Corrie's high-pitched cacophonous scream announced her powerful orgasm. She then dropped her head on the steering wheel with a thud and panted heavily as her body attempted to reset itself. Mary-Margaret gently withdrew her hand from the inside of Corrie's dress then slowly lifted Corrie's head by the chin and placed several full-lip kisses on her causing the overwhelmed beauty to whimper softly. Corrie then flopped back in the seat, tilting her head back and closing her eyes. "Was that worth the three-month wait?"

"I should be asking you that question." Mary-Margaret responded.

Corrie rolled her head to the side and allowed her eyes to flutter open, resting on lust-filled eyes of her lover.

"Well… let me give you my answer." Corrie answered before slowly righting herself and assuming a proper driving position. She then gave Mary-Margaret her signature sexy bad girl smile before slamming the automatic shifter into Drive and peeling away from the curb allowing the screech of her tires to wail into the night.

"CORRIE!" Mary-Margaret screamed as she giggled.

"Turn me on and make me come in my car, huh?" Corrie said with passion that was half-playful, all-serious. "I… am going to tear… your delicious… chocolate ass… up when we get to your place."

Mary-Margaret giggled again. "I didn't realize speed turned me on!"

"Yeah?" Corrie asked before gunning the engine again, flying down the street at close to eighty, earning another giddy laugh from Mary-Margaret before finally slowing down as she neared their street.

Corrie pulled into the garage and proceeded to park her car. "In the spring, I'm taking you to Disney World and we're gonna do The Richard Petty Driving Experience." Corrie said, referring to the attraction where one gets behind the wheel of a Sprint Cup-style racing stock car.

"Well right now, I'm taking you upstairs so you can do The Mary-Margaret Buchanan Orgasm Experience!" Mary-Margaret said. Corrie went to get out of the car when Mary-Margaret stopped her. "By the way… I loved the 'chocolate ass' comment. You vanilla swirl shake."

"Yeah. This rich glass of vanilla is gonna swirl her tongue on your chocolate ass and make you shake." Corrie purred in response.

"Well let's stop talkin' and get to swirlin'." Mary-Margaret said just before they hopped out of the car and ascended to the fifteenth floor condo.

The moment Mary-Margaret opened the door to the condo, Corrie was all over her. They began a frantic round of kissing the likes of which neither one had ever experienced. Corrie backed Mary-Margaret up, slamming the door with her back and devouring her with hungry lip and neck kisses that rendered Mary-Margaret breathless. The darker woman's eyes rolled back in her head as she willingly submitted herself to Corrie's will.

"I'm gonna fuck you in that Jacuzzi." Corrie growled in between kisses.

"Keep… this up… and we're not… gonna make it." Mary-Margaret replied.

"Especially when I do something like this." Corrie growled again before locating the zipper in the back of Mary-Margaret's dress and making quick work of it, letting the garment fall to the floor. When Corrie took her erect nipple into her mouth, Mary-Margaret cried out.

"AAARRRGGGHHH! I missed you and that mouth!" It was Mary-Margaret's turn to growl as she grabbed two handfuls of Corrie's hair.

"You taste so good." Corrie said as she consumed her lover. Mary-Margaret then grabbed Corrie's hand, pressed it to her center and cried out again. "You want this?" Mary-Margaret nodded her head quickly. "Come here." Corrie grabbed her hand and led her over to the leather sofa. Looking around quickly, she spotted a blanket folded up in the armchair and grabbed it, spreading it out on the sofa.

"Take this off." Mary-Margaret snarled, tugging at the zipper on the side of Corrie's dress and letting it fall harmlessly to the floor. They both simultaneously kicked their heels off and removed their underwear before they descended to the sofa with Corrie on top. She then reached down to Mary-Margaret's center. Mary-Margaret instinctively parted her legs to allow the smaller woman access. When she did, she received a surprise in the form of Corrie quickly pushing two fingers through her slick folds and inside as far as she could. Mary-Margaret let out a piercing scream as she arched her back and gripped the arm of the sofa over her head.

When Mary-Margaret locked eyes with Corrie, she saw a woman that was as determined to bring her pleasure as she had ever seen. Corrie gripped the arm of the sofa with her left hand as her right hand continued to rapidly slide in and out of Mary-Margaret.

"AAAHHH!... AAAHHH!... AAAHHH!..." Mary-Margaret's staccato cries with each stroke echoed off the apartment walls, fueling Corrie even further.

"Tell me what you want baby." Corrie said as she slowed down for Mary-Margaret's response.

"I've got you. That's all I've ever wanted." Mary-Margaret said with breathless sweetness. "Now… keep making me scream." Corrie leaned down and gave Mary-Margaret a sweet, tender kiss on the lips just before picking up where she left off. "SHIT!" Mary-Margaret screamed before dropping her voice into a sexy whisper-growl. "You are gonna make me come all over your fingers!" Corrie's response to that was to begin massaging Mary-Margaret's clit. This caused Mary-Margaret to suddenly buck violently and bellow from the pit of her stomach. "OHHH! CORRIE… FUCK… ME!" Moments later, Mary-Margaret made good on her promise as her orgasm struck with such intensity that she coated Corrie's fingers with fluid.

After allowing several moments of quiet recovery, Corrie had an important statement flash across her mind. "I'm still gonna fuck you in that Jacuzzi."

Mary-Margaret looked up at Corrie and gave her a killer smirk of her own. "Well what are you lying here for?" Mary-Margaret purred. "Go fill it up."

"Yes ma'am." Corrie said with a salute. Before she got up, she had one more message for Mary-Margaret as her eyes grew wide and apologetic, filling with tears. "I will never take you for granted again. I love you so much."

Mary-Margaret looked up at Corrie and reached up gently cupping her face, wiping away a streaming tear with her thumb. "I love you too." She paused for a moment as Corrie kissed her hand. "Now… go fill up that tub. We've got some catching up to do."

Corrie's face then morphed into the giddy grin once reserved for London before she bounded up from the sofa and jogged into the bathroom.

* * *

**Sandrine and Chloe**

The two women pressed their nude, sweat-laden bodies together in a pitched battle to bring the other one to a most satisfying climax. Sandrine was on top of Chloe, stroking the young blonde's center at the same time as she was being stroked. The two beauties panted raggedly into each other's ear as the neared their ultimate release. Almost simultaneously, they both gasped and shuddered as their orgasms rocked them to the core, leaving them breathless and devoid of any physical energy. Sandrine remained on top of Chloe as their lungs began to fill with oxygen.

"You… are trying to kill me." Chloe breathlessly uttered.

"But wouldn't this… be one heck of a way… to die?" Sandrine eked out.

"Or this." Chloe said before reaching between Sandrine's legs and massaging her clit from her bottom position.

"OH FUCK! Not again!" Sandrine cried out as she lifted her body off of Chloe's and gripped the slats in the headboard in front of her.

"I owe you one from earlier." Chloe purred as she looked up into Sandrine's beautiful face. The native Frenchwoman had shut her eyes tightly as Chloe quickly brought her to the edge of another orgasm.

"AAHHH SHIT!" Sandrine screamed just before another orgasmic wave hit her. She then collapsed onto Chloe's naked form once again.

"You're really cursing like an American now." Chloe teased.

"Whose trying… to kill who now?" Sandrine said as she buried her face into the pillow followed by a muffled 'Holy shit!'. "I can't come anymore. I won't be able to walk in the morning."

"That's the idea." Chloe smirked.

Sandrine smirked before positioning herself in the crook of Chloe's left arm. "I'm just going to lay right here and listen to your heartbeat." Chloe remained silent as Sandrine listened. "Your heart was beating fast but then I heard it slow down." Sandrine said.

"You make my heart race, but then you calm me down." Chloe said.

"I am so glad I met you." Sandrine said. "I swear to you that I never meant to get serious about anybody, not after Paul."

"You're serious about me?" Chloe playfully asked, knowing by Sandrine's actions that she was serious.

"I saw you and I just felt…"

"The tingle." Chloe said. "I felt it too. It was like you were made for me or something."

Sandrine looked up and smiled. "Would I make you run away screaming if I told you right now that I loved you?"

Chloe smiled. "No. You'd make me run away screaming if you didn't." She said.

"I love you." Sandrine whispered.

Chloe motioned to Sandrine with her index finger to slide up to meet her face-to-face. "I love you too." Chloe said before delivering a soft kiss to Sandrine's lips. "You hungry?"

"I'm starving! I barely ate anything today!" Sandrine said.

"There's a great pizza place near here that delivers." Chloe said.

"Great. Call them." Sandrine said as she grabbed the remote for the TV and flipped it on, beginning a round of channel surfing. "The replay of Monday Night Raw should be on now."

"You watch wrestling?" Chloe asked.

"Paul got me hooked on it." Sandrine said. "We should go the next time they come to Boston."

"Anything else that I don't know about you that I should?" Chloe asked with a smile.

"Just that I pay petite blondes back who give me surprise orgasms when they least expect it." Sandrine said.

Chloe reached over and picked up the phone to dial the pizza place. Lying on her back she listened to the phone ringing. "I'm really scared." Chloe jokingly deadpanned. "Hi. Yes. I'd like to place an order for delivery… I'd like one… SANDY!" Chloe exclaimed after Sandrine latched onto one of Chloe's nipples and sucked deeply causing Chloe to squirm.

"When you least expect it." Sandrine said as she lowered her head and continued sucking her nipple.

"I'll… call… you back!" Chloe stammered just before hanging up the phone and giving herself to her magnificent French lover once more.

* * *

**London and Maddie**

Four months had passed since the beginning of London's intracervical insemination treatments with no success. Despite assurances from her fertility specialist that there was a chance that it would take time for her to conceive and that she shouldn't worry, she was beginning to lose faith.

"London!" Maddie called out as she ascended the stairs. "Come on babe, we gotta go! Your appointment is at two!" Maddie got no answer. She continued on into the bedroom where she found London sitting at her vanity crying. "Princess? What's wrong?" Maddie asked as she made her way over to London and knelt down beside her.

"I don't want to do this anymore." London said as she softly cried. "It's been four months and nothing's happened. Maybe I'm not supposed to have children."

"Don't say that." Maddie said softly. "Look. Doctor Gentry said that the success rate for the treatment you're doing is five to ten percent per treatment cycle. She said it would take time."

"I bet if Doctor Montgomery were doing this procedure, I'd be pregnant right now." London said.

"Hon, Doctor Montgomery was on that show Grey's Anatomy. She's a fictional character. Now you want to get treated by fictional doctors?" Maddie asked.

"No. I want a real baby." London pouted.

"Well you're not going to get one by sitting on this stool. You've got to get up so I can drive you to Doctor Gentry's office." Maddie said. "This is going to happen. I can feel it. We're like Bette and Tina without the all the drama." Maddie said, referring to the characters from The L Word. London laughed. "Now come on." Maddie said. "Whether it happens in a couple of days, a couple of weeks or a couple of months, I'll be right here with you and I WILL NOT let you give up. Okay?"

"You never have let me give up on myself, have you?" London asked.

"Never. You mean too much to me to let you settle for anything less than the best this life has to offer." Maddie said with conviction.

London gazed deeply into Maddie's eyes. "You keep saying things like that and we won't make it to Doctor Gentry's office." She said with a growing lust building inside her.

Maddie grabbed London's hands. "After we get home. I promise." Maddie purred as she kissed London sweetly. "Come on." She said as she stood up, offering her hand to help London up from the stool as they went off to see Doctor Gentry.

From their days of platonic friendship through the infancy of their romantic relationship and their marriage, each woman had provided the other with the emotional backbone that they would need in times of distress. The ordeal with London's fertility treatments would put Maddie to the test with each successive failure. Two weeks later, London found out that success would have to wait for another day as her pregnancy test came back negative. Maddie was there on that blustery day in February 2019 as she would be for the next eleven months of unsuccessful treatment attempts.

* * *

**Tuesday, January 14, 2020 – 2:35 pm – Office of Dr. ****Angelica Gentry, Boston, Massachusetts**

"If she walks back in here and tells me anything other than 'you're pregnant', I'm finished." London whispered to Maddie. "I can't take this anymore. The disappointment, the tears, the stirrups. I just can't. I'm sorry."

"Today is the day. I can feel it. My mother prayed for us today. Miley called and said her Mamaw had a dream about fish and said that means that somebody's pregnant." Maddie said and then paused. "Today is the day."

"It better be." London said seconds before the door opened. The strikingly beautiful Angelica Gentry walked through the door. The Tufts-educated fertility specialist came into the room, lab coat billowing behind her and chart in hand. Each click of her high heels on the white tile of the exam room floor felt like the ticking of the biological clock of the 29-year-old multibillionaire despite her doctor's assertion that she had years of fertility left.

"I got your labs back, London." Dr. Gentry began as she did with every post-treatment consultation.

"I've got this part down cold, Angie." London said. She and Maddie were on a first-name basis with the tall strawberry blonde that was the soon-to-be-named head of The Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Tufts Medical Center.

"Would you let me do my job please?" Dr. Gentry teased. "Jeez! Doctors and multibillionaires make the worst patients."

"Will you just give us the bad news already so we can pay and get home in time for Tyra?" London said.

Doctor Gentry raised an eyebrow at London's comment before soldiering on. "Okay London. You're test came back positive and I'd like to schedule you for an ultrasound so I can monitor your progress." Dr. Gentry delivered the news in antiseptic fashion, knowing London would initially ignore what she said.

Maddie put her hands up to her face in deliriously happy shock. London, who in her mind knew that Dr. Gentry's news was bad, went into her concession speech. "Well Angie, thanks for everything you've done. But Maddie and I are gonna quit for a while. All these negative tests are taking their toll on us." London said before looking over at Maddie who was now crying tears of happiness. "Shhh. It's okay Blondie." London said in her attempt to "console" Maddie. "We can try again in a few months."

"Uhh, excuse me? Bonehead?" Dr. Gentry said to London. "She's not crying tears of sadness. If you had listened to me, you would have heard me say that your test was POS-A-TIVE. YOU… ARE… PREG… NANT."

London stood in the middle of the office with a look on her face indicating that Dr. Gentry's words hadn't quite sunken in. She looked at Dr. Gentry with a puzzled look and cocked her head to the side. Dr. Gentry nodded. London then turned to Maddie who was letting out a couple of soft, audible sobs and wiping tears away from her eyes. Maddie nodded. She stared at Maddie for several more seconds before a single tear trickled down her face from her left eye. She looked over her right shoulder at Dr. Gentry. "I'm pregnant?" She asked softly.

"You are." Dr. Gentry said with equal softness.

London then turned to look at Maddie again. More tears began to slowly make their descent from London's stunning almond-shaped eyes. "We're pregnant?" London asked with delicate softness.

"We're pregnant." Maddie's voice held restrained joy, ready to explode at a moment's notice. That moment was at hand.

"WE'RE PREGNAAAAAAAANT!" London screamed at the top of her lungs as she bounced for joy. Maddie burst into ecstatic tears as she watched London release nearly eighteen months of infertile angst. London threw her arms around Maddie's neck as Maddie picked her up in a joyous bear hug. The two women wept for several indescribably joy-filled moments. Even the professionally unflappable Dr. Gentry had been brought to tears by the reaction of her favorite patient. After several moments, London released Maddie and turned to Dr. Gentry. "Thank you Angie!" London said as she embraced Dr. Gentry tightly. "I don't know what I would have done without you."

"I was just the doctor with the catheter. You're love and faith made this happen." Dr. Gentry said as she embraced London with tears streaming down her face.

London released the doctor and stepped back wiping her eyes and nose. She looked back at Maddie. "See Maddie, I made her cry!" London said, earning tear-filled chuckles from the other two women.

"I'm gonna give you two a few minutes alone. I'll come back and schedule this ultrasound myself." Dr. Gentry said as she wiped her tears away. "Congratulations. You two deserve this."

"Thank you!" They called out to Dr. Gentry as she left the room. When the door closed, the two women grabbed each other in another tight embrace and wept again.

"This… is the most incredible day of my life!" London said as she hugged Maddie.

"I love you so much!" Maddie said. She then pulled back and looked down at London's stomach with a huge smile on her face. She reached down and placed her hand on London's midsection. "And I love our baby! What are we going to name it?"

"I've always liked London Junior." London joked causing both of them to laugh. London tried to give that name to the baby in their high school parenting project. "I was thinking if it's a girl, Catherine Miranda Li-Chen…" She said using one of Maddie's middle names, Maddie's mother's name and her biological mother's birth name. "And if it's a boy, Brandon Irving." London said using the male version of her stepmother Brandi's name and Maddie's father's name.

"Those are perfect." Maddie said sweetly. "You're perfect. I love you."

"I love you too." London said before softly kissing Maddie. She then looked down to her stomach and placed her hand on top of Maddie's. "And we love you too, little one."

* * *

**Wow! What an exciting chapter! New Beginnings everywhere, huh? ****Corrie and Mary-Margaret, Sandrine and Chloe, London and Maddie. And we warped ahead from October 2018 to January 2020! And guess what? There's another chapter ahead! Chapter seventeen is coming! Come on back! **

**By the way, remember how I told you at the end of chapter fourteen to be on the lookout for that chapter that will begin the three-story****, Search For Tomorrow-Back to the Future-Love Conquers All mystery? Well, that chapter is NEXT! Now you've got to come back!**

**PLEASE REVIEW.**


	17. Joy and Pain: The Londie Point of View

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

**Author's Note: Joy and Pain. The title of the chapter says it all.**

**

* * *

**

**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 17**_

**Joy and Pain: The Londie Point of View**

**Saturday, September 12, 2020 – 12 noon - London and Maddie's house – Wellesley, Massachusetts**

London's baby shower was a mere four hours away. It had been nearly nine months in the making. From the day Sandrine, Chloe, Corrie and Mary-Margaret were told of London's impending motherhood, the women went gaga over the preparations for the grand event. In the absence of London and Maddie's busy out-of-town best friends, these four women went above and beyond the call of duty in making sure that London's baby shower would be one she wouldn't forget.

"Are the caterers here, Emme?" Corrie asked.

"They just got here. I set them up in the kitchen. You need a hand?" Mary-Margaret asked her girlfriend who was stringing up decorations in the living room.

"If you want." Corrie said as she reached up to push in a push pin. Just then, Mary-Margaret slid her hands up Corrie's sides and under her shirt. Corrie jerked slightly and giggled. "Emme! You're hands are cold!"

"You weren't complaining last night when…" Mary-Margaret cooed.

"Okay! You're right. I wasn't." Corrie giggled. Mary-Margaret proceeded to slide her cool hands underneath Corrie's t-shirt again, causing the brunette to laugh again. Mary-Margaret's hand then brushed Corrie's stomach in a way that made her shudder. "Don't touch my stomach like that." Corrie said with sudden erotic seriousness.

"Oh. I almost forgot you were sensitive there." Mary-Margaret said with a devilish smile before brushing Corrie's stomach lightly again.

"Stop!" Corrie whisper-yelled. "You're gonna make me fall!"

"You know, your kitty-kat is right in front of my face." Mary-Margaret purred.

"Chloe and Sandy are in this house!" Corrie whisper-yelled again.

"What? I'm just having little fun." Mary-Margaret purred. Just then Chloe and Sandrine walked into the living room, looked up and saw the pensive look on Corrie's face.

"Did we interrupt something?" Sandrine said.

"No. Unfortunately." Mary-Margaret said with mock disappointment as she turned away from Corrie. A second later, she spun around and snatched Corrie off the step stool and slung the smaller woman over her shoulder.

"EMME! PUT ME DOWN!" Corrie screamed as she laughed.

"Hey! Free tickle shots! Get 'em while they're hot!" Mary-Margaret offered.

"Don't mind if we do!" Chloe said as she and Sandrine walked over and started tickling the prone Corrie, still slung over Mary-Margaret's shoulder.

"I'M GONNA kill… ALL OF YOU!" Corrie exclaimed in laughter as she laid victim of a mid-air tickling three-way. London and Maddie walked into the living room and witnessed the scene.

"Great! Y'all wait until I'm eight and a half months pregnant to have a lesbian orgy! You people suck." London teased.

"Gangbang on the one who's knocked up!" Chloe yelled as Mary-Margaret let Corrie down and the four women started toward London. Maddie quickly stepped in between them and held out her palm to stop them.

"Hold it! The only ones gangbangin' ol' Pregnant Polly here is me…" Maddie said before holding up her hands and wiggling her fingers. "… and my ten little friends here. Now move along. Nothing to see here."

The four women turned around and began playfully muttering, punctuated by Chloe saying, "Aww, man! I wanted to do a pregnant chick!"

"This looks beautiful!" London said as she looked around the living room in amazement. Beautiful pastel shades of blue, yellow pink and white blended perfectly with the soft color palette of the furnishings of the room.

"Wait till you see the entertainment room!" Sandrine gushed about the media room downstairs that would serve as the second shower area. They were expecting about a hundred guests.

"You guys are just so…" London started before being overwhelmed by tears.

Maddie took London's head and laid it on her chest. "She's been weepy for a while now. Hormones." Maddie said.

"You're welcome London. We love you. That's why we did this for you." Mary-Margaret said.

"Yeah. You and Maddie are the best." Corrie said.

"I love you guys too." London said as she dried her tears. "I can't wait to see my other girls too."

"When are they getting here?" Chloe asked.

"Miley and Lilly said they would be here around one to help us finish setting up." Maddie said. "Raven said she was coming in from an out-of-town business trip but that she would meet Chelsea here at four."

"Is it just me or did she sound a little strange the last time you talked to her?" London said.

"I called Chelsea about three weeks ago and asked about Raven and she was just kind of, I don't know, short with me, like, 'She's okay.', and she left it at that." Maddie said.

"Maybe they had a fight. They've been married for, what, twelve, thirteen years?" Mary-Margaret asked.

"Yeah but I've never know them to fight for this long. It's been going on two months now." Maddie said. Just then, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it." Maddie said before walking out of the living room and down the hallway to the door. She opened the door to see Miley and her pregnant wife of six months, Lilly. "Divas!" Maddie exclaimed as she hugged each of them. She then called into the living room as they walked. "Look what the wind blew in from Tennessee!"

All the women exchanged hellos and hugs. London and Lilly compared bellies. Maddie and Miley compared spousal stories of middle-of-the-night craving runs to the store.

"So what was it this week?" Maddie asked.

"Pepperoni pizza and chocolate ice cream with sprinkles. You?" Miley said.

"Reuben sandwich, black and white cookie from Starbucks, gotta be Starbucks, fried shrimp and Salt and Vinegar potato chips." Maddie said.

Miley stuck out her hand to shake. "I concede. You win."

"Thank you." Maddie deadpanned as she accepted the handshake.

"So when is your due date, Lilly?" Sandrine asked.

"December 20th." Lilly said. "I hope he comes after Christmas."

"You're having a boy?" Corrie said. "AWWW! Have you named him yet?"

"Robert Jackson Truscott." Lilly said.

"Wasn't that sweet?" Miley said. "Daddy and Jackson cried when she told 'em."

"Yeah. We're naming the next one Christopher Edward after my brother Evan and my father." Lilly said.

"Yeah. We though Evan Edward was just… too many E's." Miley said.

"So looks like all we're missing is Raven and Chelsea." Lilly said.

"They'll be here later." Maddie said.

"You know, Raven came to visit us about a month ago and… I'm a little worried about her." Miley said.

"I was just saying that she didn't seem right the last time I talked to her. I asked her if everything was okay. She just said she was really tired." London said.

"Well she's been working hard on that new design collaboration with Devyn Shelby." Lilly said. "She was in Memphis for a regional sales meeting when she stopped by."

"Maybe that's why they're fighting – over her long hours." Corrie said.

"Chelsea's been putting in some long hours too. There's some new client that they've got her working with. She's been swamped." Maddie said.

"You know, my friend Marie lives in Lyon. So does Devyn Shelby. Marie met her once." Sandrine said of her friend in France. "Marie told me she was a real bitch."

"Well that's probably it." Mary-Margaret said. "Raven's been in a pissy mood after having to work with a class-A bitch all day and she snaps at Chelsea. I've seen it before."

"Well whatever it is, they will probably tell us after they've made up." Miley said. "After all, they're Raven and Chelsea! They're Chrave! Without them, Lilly and I wouldn't have gotten together when we did. London and Maddie wouldn't have gotten together when they did. They should be hosting _Lesbian Love Connection_! We'll be back in two and two." Miley said, with the last part being an imitation of Chuck Woolery from Love Connection.

"You know what? Miley's right. They'll be fine and we…" Maddie said as she grabbed London and held her from behind, rubbing her pregnant belly. "… will be fine too. We'll let you guys finish."

"It's almost party time!" Lilly exclaimed.

* * *

**Saturday, September 12, 2020 – 4:20 pm - London and Maddie's house – Wellesley, Massachusetts**

Guests had been arriving since a little after four. There were now approximately fifty guests in the house, including London's mother and stepmother, Maddie's family and the entire Tipton Hotel crew. London was working the main level of the house. She would be going downstairs to the secondary shower room via the servant's elevator in the kitchen. Maddie was also working both rooms. She was near the front door when the bell rang.

"That's okay Cindy, I'll get it." Maddie said to one of the maids before opening the door. "Chelsea! How are you?" Maddie said as she embraced Chelsea.

"I'm fine. I'm so happy for you both." Chelsea said.

"Where's Rae?" Maddie asked.

"Her… flight was delayed so she told me to go ahead and she'd meet me here." Chelsea said with a slightly less than enthusiastic voice. "Is… she here yet?"

"No. Not yet." Maddie said. "Come on in!"

"Oh." Chelsea said as she looked beside her at the door. "A gift… from me… Raven and me." Chelsea said as she picked the big box up.

"Here. I'll take that." Maddie said. "London's in the living room. Go say hi!" Chelsea nodded and started toward the living room. Just then one of the servants walked up to take the box from her hands. "Thanks."

As the servant walked away, Miley walked up to Maddie after coming from the restroom. "Was that Chelsea?" Miley asked.

"Yep." Maddie said. "And she's not looking happy."

"Well let me go correct that." Miley said. "Nobody stays down with a frown while Smiley Miley's in your town!"

Maddie looked at Miley with a blank look on her face. "Just made that one up, huh?"

"Yep." Miley said.

"Sounded like it." Maddie said. "Just sing. Leave the lyrics to your old man." Miley smirked and playfully slapped Maddie on the arm before heading into the living room.

Maddie walked into the living room and made it a point to stand off to the side, taking in the whole scene. As she scanned the room, her eyes fell on the group that surrounded her wife. She smiled as she watched London just as happy and could be, surrounded by her closest friends. She watched all of them engaged in uproarious laughter with one exception. She noted that Chelsea's "outbursts" consisted of a smile here or a chuckle there, nothing like the belly laughs that the others shared.

_I have known Chelsea for more than ten years and I have never seen her this melancholy. What is going on with her? _Maddie thought to herself. Another joke was cracked. Miley hunched Chelsea in the shoulder, slightly knocking her off balance eliciting, up until that point, the most animated response from Chelsea thus far – a playful push back, a toothless smile and a shake of the head. "Chels…" Maddie whispered to herself.

"She's mine. You can't have her." A sultry voice whispered into Maddie's ear from behind. Maddie spun around, only to see the beautiful face of Raven Baxter.

"Hey girlie!" Maddie whisper-yelled as she embraced Raven. From across the room, Chelsea locked eyes with Raven for a brief moment before darting them back toward the group she was with. Raven briefly narrowed her eyes in frustration before she pulled back. By the time Maddie saw her face again, Raven's broad trademark grin had returned.

"I am so happy for you two!" Raven squealed.

"You have no idea how excited I am!" Maddie said. "I'm like a tick about to pop!"

Raven leaned to the side past Maddie to look at London. "You're not the only one!"

Maddie laughed. "I know, right?" Maddie said. "How are you and Chelsea doing?" Maddie decided to hide her probing question inside the shell of a friendly inquiry.

Raven bit her bottom lip as she looked in Chelsea's direction. "We're both… a lot tired and a lot cranky." Raven said. "It's been… a rough couple of months."

"No nooky, huh?" Maddie joked as she laughed. Raven let out one incredulous chuckle.

"No… No nooky." Raven said with a hint of solemnness.

"You'll get it together." Maddie said. "High-powered heifers like you two? You'll get it together."

"Yeah… we will." Raven said, allowing a brief, awkward pause at the end of her sentence. "Before I forget… for you and London." Raven said as she handed Maddie a large box, equal in size to the one Chelsea had given Maddie earlier. "From Chelsea and me."

"Thank… you Rae." Maddie said. She was now confused. Both Raven and Chelsea had given her a gift from the both of them. It seems as though there was a breakdown in communication over the gift purchase. "I'll just go put this with the others. Go on in."

Chelsea glanced over toward Maddie and Raven in time to see the gift exchange. "Would… you all excuse me for a moment?" Chelsea said with quiet politeness. "I need to go say hi to my wife." With that, she stepped away from the group and headed over to Raven who at this point saw Chelsea coming.

"Hi… baby." Raven said politely as she leaned over to place a soft kiss on Chelsea's cheek.

"Good afternoon… sweetheart. How was your flight?" Chelsea said with a hint of irritation underneath. She then placed her hands on Raven's shoulders and pressed her lips to Raven's cheek before sliding her lips back to Raven's ear. "I need to have a word with you in private." Chelsea said with ice cold neutrality.

Raven nodded toward the study just off of the front door. She noticed that it was empty when she came in. London took note of the exchange and felt that it lacked warmth from where she stood. Raven gingerly took Chelsea by the hand and led her off to the study. Lilly, who moments earlier had excused herself to go to the restroom, was just coming out of the restroom and could see into the study. She saw Raven lead Chelsea in by the hand but then saw Chelsea snatch away from Raven as soon as they crossed the threshold. _What the hell…? _Lilly thought to herself.

"You bought them a gift?" Chelsea snapped in a whisper-yell.

"I didn't know if you were going to get one so I went and bought one!" Raven responded with a whisper-yell snap of her own.

Maddie saw Lilly standing near the door. "Lil, everything okay…"

"Shh." Lilly quickly shushed Maddie. "Look." Maddie turned to see flashes of a heated exchange.

"When have I ever not gone out and bought a gift for friends and family for a special occasion?" Chelsea spat.

"Well, maybe if you had talked to me about it and clued me in for a change!" Raven scoffed. "But no! Workaholic Chelsea doesn't do that!"

"Don't you give me that workaholic Chelsea shit!" Chelsea fumed in a whisper. "You know goddamn well why I'm not talking or anything else with you!"

"You really wanna fucking go there with me? Here? 'Cause I'd love to light your triflin' ass up right now!" Raven whisper-growled.

Chelsea stepped up into Raven's face and growled at her through gritted teeth. "Bring it the fuck on then, since you started this shit!"

"Oh my God! Is Chelsea gonna hit her?" Lilly whisper-yelled.

"What the hell is going on?" Maddie said. Seconds later, Chelsea came storming out of the study and down the hall toward Lilly and Maddie, who quickly turned away from her like they were engrossed in conversation. As Maddie and Lilly looked at each other in horror, they heard Chelsea say in a very loud whisper, "Fuck you Raven!". They then glanced out of the corner of their eye to see Chelsea make a beeline for the stairs that led down to the media room.

Before they could process that shocking event, they saw a blur coming toward them headed in the direction of the bathroom past them. Maddie stuck her hand out in an attempt to grab Raven's arm. "Rae…" Maddie called to her. Raven brushed her off quickly.

"Unh-uh." Raven said as she breezed by on the verge of tears. "Fuckin' bitch." She headed straight for the bathroom door turning the knob only to find it locked. The woman that was inside came out and Raven nearly knocked her down to get inside and slam the door.

"That was frightening." Lilly said.

Maddie clutched Lilly by the shoulders. "Whatever you do, don't mention what you saw to London. You hear me? This is a day she's been looking forward to for nine months and I don't want it ruined by whatever just happened. Okay?" Maddie implored Lilly.

"She's gonna know." Lilly said.

"No she won't. I'll have a talk with both of them. Just do me a favor. Be an Academy Award-winning, put a smile on your face and make my wife happy. Please?" Maddie begged.

"Okay. For London." Lilly said. Maddie shook her shoulders in encouragement and sent her back into the living room.

Maddie took a deep breath. She looked around at the empty foyer. "This is my baby's baby shower and she will have the time of her life."

Maddie walked back down the hallway on her way to the kitchen. She walked by the living room entrance and spotted London who waved and smiled at her. Maddie returned both gestures. London then waved for her to come in.

"I've got to check on something in the kitchen! I'll be right there!" Maddie said with a smile. She didn't lie to London. She wanted to check to see how much Scotch was left in the cabinet. A stiff drink sounded good to her at the moment. When she walked into the kitchen the head of the catering staff asked Maddie if they could take a break. Maddie smiled and told them to enjoy their break. As she opened the cabinet near the sink that overlooks the deck, she saw Chelsea standing on the deck, looking out into the backyard. Maddie closed the cabinet door and walked over to the glass door and opened it causing Chelsea to turn around.

"Hey." Chelsea said with a hollow voice.

"Hey." Maddie said. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm sorry about that little thing you saw earlier." Chelsea said. "I promise we won't ruin your party." She said as she folded her arms across her chest and stared out into the foliage.

Maddie walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Chels, what's wrong?" Maddie felt Chelsea's breathing stop followed by the unmistakable shaking of her shoulders. She had begun to silently weep. "Chels?" Maddie's concern had grown exponentially as she watched Chelsea break down. Chelsea turned around and broke down sobbing in Maddie's arms.

Sandrine walked into the kitchen to find Maddie and saw her with Chelsea on the deck. She walked over to the screen door. She walked up in time to hear Maddie say, "Oh, Sweet Jesus no." before she spoke. "Maddie… London is looking for you. We're ready to open up gifts." Sandrine said. "Is everything… all right?"

"Yeah, Sandy. Everything's fine." Maddie said as she held Chelsea.

Chelsea quickly straightened up. "Go. I'll be fine. I'll… be there in a minute, I just need to go freshen up." She said as she dried her tears.

"Okay." Maddie said as she kissed Chelsea on the cheek. "We'll talk later." Chelsea nodded.

Maddie walked up to Sandrine. "Is she okay?" Sandrine asked.

"No. But we keep that between us. London is not to find out she's upset. I don't want to ruin her day." Maddie said. Sandrine nodded as they made their way out of the kitchen. Sandrine continued into the living with Maddie a few paces behind her. When Maddie reached the middle of the hallway, she looked toward the front door where Raven and Miley had just walked in from outside. Maddie locked eyes with Miley for a moment and then glanced at a still upset Raven heading back to the bathroom. Miley glanced back down the hallway at Raven before heading toward Maddie. Maddie took a couple of steps down the hall toward Miley.

"You know, don't you?" Maddie asked.

"Yeah." Miley said meekly. "What are we gonna do?"

"There's nothing we can do." Maddie said. "This is one set of problems we can't help them solve. All I know is that we both have pregnant wives that don't need to be upset. We can't tell them."

"Who else knows?" Miley asked.

"Just the two of us and I think that's how it should stay." Maddie said.

"As much I hate keepin' secrets from Lilly, I agree with you on this one." Miley said.

"Come on. Put your happy face on. Chelsea will be back soon." Maddie said.

"Raven too." Miley said.

"_MADDIE! COME ON! I WANNA OPEN MY GIFTS!" _London bellowed from the living room.

"Go ahead. I'll get everybody from downstairs." Miley said.

"Thanks." Maddie said as she took a deep breath, put on her happy face and strode into the living room.

London loved opening gifts as much as she did giving them. After a litany of baby blankets, bassinets, strollers and tons of clothes, she got around to the two large boxes from Raven and Chelsea just as the two women entered the living room. They glanced out of the corner of their eye at each other as they walked into the room.

"Right on time!" London said. "I'll excuse the two of you for getting busy during my baby shower!" That made everyone laugh. Raven and Chelsea managed an embarrassed chuckle. "What did you get me…" She said as she tore into box number one from Chelsea. London led the group in a gasp of wonder. "Is this…"

"From Raven's new Motherhood Collection." Chelsea said of the plush, stylish, handcrafted pearl blue car seat.

Raven slowly turned her head and gave Chelsea a long look. That car seat had yet to be released to the public for purchase. Raven leaned over to Chelsea. "How did you get that car seat?" Raven asked in a whisper.

"Tristan." Chelsea answered.

"Tristan. I shoulda known." Raven responded to herself disdainfully regarding her talented, quirky and sometimes annoying assistant.

"This is beautiful Chelsea. Thank you!" London said.

"Enjoy it." Chelsea said with a genuine smile.

"And Ravennnn…" London said as she ripped into Raven's gift. "Another car seat! In black!"

Quickly thinking on her feet, Raven responded. "Two cars, two finely crafted car seats."

"You two are amazing!" London said. "Come here! Both of you!" Raven and Chelsea stepped forward as London hugged them both. "These two are a big reason for Maddie and I getting together. Their love and commitment to each other motivated Maddie and I to… whoa." London stopped in mid-sentence as she felt a sharp pain. "Motivated Maddie and I to…Whoa!"

"London?" Maddie said.

"Just a little mini-contraction. That's all." London said as Raven and Chelsea, who were flanking her, placed their hands on either side of London's belly. London nodded to them that she was okay. "Like I was saying… OOOHHHH!" London felt a strong contraction that time. "Maddie? I… uhh… think… you better get my bag."

"Really?" Maddie asked excitedly.

"Really. And call Doctor Simmons. The little one is circling the airport and he's ready to land." London said softly.

"Everybody stay calm…" Maddie said calmly. "… we're about to have a baby… right now." Maddie said as Raven and Chelsea helped London to her feet. "I need the mommas and daddies and all my Divas. It's… baby time." Maddie stammered as she headed for the door, before turning around to get London.

"Just… go get the car baby. They got me." London said as Raven and Chelsea helped her down the hallway followed by the other four original Divas; Lilly, Miley, Max and Barbara and the "Next Generation Divas" as London called them; Chloe, Sandrine, Mary-Margaret and Corrie. The mothers, Miranda, Sandra and Brandi, the sisters; Genny and London's half-sister Yolanda and the menfolk, Irving, Marion, Zack and C.J., brought up the rear. London and Maddie were headed to the hospital with a multitude – nineteen people that were close family and friends with the intent of returning only after the twentieth – and the newest – member of the Fitzpatrick-Tipton extended family arrived.

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**Trouble in Chrave paradise? What is it? Maddie and Miley know but they're not telling. Do you have any idea? You'll get another glimpse into that situation in my next story. But coming up next, London and Maddie (and everybody else!) go to the hospital. The grand finale of The Search For Tomorrow, the birth of London and Maddie's child is next. Is it a boy or a girl? Come back and find out. PLEASE REVIEW.**


	18. Tomorrow Never Dies

**Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.**

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**The Search for Tomorrow**

_**Chapter 18**_

**Tomorrow Never Dies**

London and Maddie walked into the emergency admittance area followed by the gaggle of friends and relatives chattering amongst themselves. Maddie helped London over to the admittance desk where the nurse on duty was sitting.

"Yes ma'am. How may I help you?" The nurse inquired.

"Hello! Baby coming! Duh!" Maddie spat.

"Sweetie, calm down." London said as she attempted to control her breathing. "I'm London Tipton-Fitzpatrick. We're meeting Doctor Simmons here." London said of their regular obstetrician.

"Doctor Simmons was just pulled into emergency surgery. Let me page her backup." The nurse said calmly.

"Great! Doctor Simmons isn't here and we have to get some med school reject or some… intern! Damnit!" Maddie scoffed.

"Madeline. Language." Miranda said as she stood several paces behind her daughter.

"Mom, they took me there, okay?" Maddie exclaimed. "I'll say ten Hail Mary's in the morning!" She then turned to London and spoke in a relatively calm voice. "Baby, we're not gonna let them give you some medical quack clown."

"That's too bad. That's what it says on my med school degree." London and Maddie looked around to see Doctor Angie Gentry standing in front of them.

"Damn!" Lilly whispered to Miley and the others that surrounded her. "I wish she was my OB/GYN!"

"You horny again?" Miley whispered.

"Yep." Lilly responded.

"I thought so." Miley replied with a sly smile.

"Angie! Thank God it's you!" Maddie said. "London's in labor!"

"I figured that out when I got the code page for a woman in labor in the ER lobby. Man! You don't listen very well either, do you?" Angie joked.

"Now listen here, young lady…" Miranda was about to get riled up over Dr. Gentry's flip remark when Maddie stopped her.

"Mom! It's okay. This is how Dr. Gentry and London and I talk." Maddie said. "Are you gonna…"

"Of course." Dr. Gentry said. "Nicole, call upstairs and have them set up Birthing Room B and page Doctor Simmons to let her know that I have this under control." Dr. Gentry said to the nurse. "Okay. I'll meet you upstairs." Dr. Gentry was about to walk away when London grabbed her by the sleeve.

"Angie? Please go up with us. Please?" London asked.

"You're really scared, aren't you?" Maddie asked as she held London's hand and stroked her hair. London nodded quickly.

"You have nothing to worry about. Maddie and I are here with you." Dr. Gentry said.

"Yeah, Londie. We're here too. Right guys?" Sandra said.

"YEAH!" The group said unison.

"Okay. Let's do this." London said just as another contraction hit. "OHHH!" London began to double over. Dr. Gentry went several steps to her right to grab the nearest wheelchair. She and Maddie helped London into the wheelchair. Maddie then went around behind it to push. They began toward the big set of double doors in front of them. About ten steps away from the door, Dr. Gentry noticed the sound of nearly two dozen sets of footsteps behind her and stopped in her tracks and wheeled around.

"Down that hallway to the elevator, sixth floor, you all can wait in the lobby." Dr. Gentry said.

"We're her mothers. Can we come with you?" Sandra asked as she held up the hand that was holding Brandi's hand as well.

Doctor Gentry looked at London. "My mother and stepmother. I want them there." London said.

"Come on." Dr. Gentry said. "For the rest of you, I'll see you later." With that, Dr. Gentry disappeared through the double doors with Maddie, London, Sandra and Brandi.

Upstairs in the lobby of the maternity wing, the group nervously waited.

"I wonder how long it'll be." Zack said.

"It could be hours, Baby." Max said.

"Seems like yesterday I was helping her broadcast that stupid Internet show she had." C.J. said.

Barbara started laughing. "I remember that!" She said before she launched into the vapid theme song. "London Tipton's really great, really great, really great… London Tipton's really great…"

"Don't remind me!" C.J. said. "She wanted me to wear heels."

"Don't forget about the dress." Zack said.

"Shut up, Zack." C.J. deadpanned and then sighed. "Now she's all grown up and having a baby."

"London, a mother. Huh! Who would have imagined it when she lived at the Tipton? What, after that debacle with the baby doll she and Madeline had." Marion said.

Miranda and Irving started laughing. "Ahhh! One night, Madeline brought that doll home…" Miranda continued laughing as Irving nudged her. "I thought she had pulled it out of a trash can! That poor thing looked worse than… Chucky from Child's Play!" Everyone started laughing at that remembrance.

"The first time she picked up Richie, he threw up all over one of her new suits." Raven recalled laughing. "Remember that Chels?"

Chelsea looked over at Raven stone-faced for a second, surprised that Raven would say anything to her. However, the remembrance of London's encounter with Richie made Chelsea crack a toothless smile that she shared with Raven for a brief moment.

"Yeah." Chelsea said looking at Raven before moving her eyes to scan the group. "She handed him back to me like he was contagious and whined, 'Eww! I've got baby pukey on my suit!'" The whole group cracked up. "I mean who says baby pukey?" Chelsea said laughing.

"But she warmed up to him." Raven said.

"She did. She forgave him, I guess." Chelsea said. She then dropped her head in contemplative thought. Raven looked over at her for a moment before going into a moment of reflection of her own.

"She is going to be a terrific mother." Barbara said.

"When are you due?" Miley asked.

"Two weeks." Barbara said.

"There's been alotta hanky panky goin' on!" Zack joked.

"Son, Maddie and Miley's hanky didn't exactly make that panky happen." Irving commented causing everyone to snicker.

"Is Mom gonna have to give you another lesson about the birds and the bees?" C.J. joked. The group burst out in laughter again.

"That was payback for the dress comment, right?" Zack said.

"Right." C.J. said.

Miranda took Irving by the hand. "I pray everything is going all right in there." She said.

"Everything'll be fine, Minnie." Irving used his pet name for his wife as he put his arm around her shoulders. "London's stronger than she looks. And you know Madeline."

Two hours into her labor, London was starting to grow irritable.

"I'm tired of lying in this bed. I'm ready to have this baby so I can go to sleep." London said.

"Baby, Angie said you're only at four centimeters right now. Just use your breathing techniques." Maddie said calmly.

"I don't want to use any breathing techniques." London said. "I want to hold my breath while they give me an epidural or some… fucking morphine or something. Can you get me some morphine?"

"No morphine, Baby." Maddie said calmly.

"CAN I GET SOME FUCKING DRUGS PLEASE?" London bellowed.

"London…"

"It's okay Maddie." Sandra said. "Fussing will actually calm her down. I was like that with her."

"Mom? No offense, but you haven't done this in almost thirty years." London said through gritted teeth. "I'm doing this now. I am not calm. I want some FUCKING DRUGS!"

"Were you a potty mouth too?" Maddie said as she stroked London's arm.

"I did everything from questioning Wilfred's ancestry to making crude references to him being a homosexual and enjoying biting pillows during sex." Sandra said.

"Gotcha." Maddie said.

"Yeah, well I wish just this once that Maddie had a dick… so I could pull it off for making me do this." London growled. Just then, Angie walked in to check on London.

"So, how's mommy?" Dr. Gentry asked cheerfully.

"She just said she wished I had a dick so she could pull it off." Maddie deadpanned.

"Okay! She's almost ready." Dr. Gentry said.

"I need some drugs. When do I get the drugs?" London asked.

"You don't need the drugs yet. Trust me." Dr. Gentry said. "When they can hear you screaming in Salem, then you'll need the drugs."

"Nice bedside manner, Doc." London said. "Where's Addison Montgomery?" She asked, referring to the maternity specialist on Grey's Anatomy.

"I'm thinking it won't be much longer now. I'll be back shortly." Dr. Gentry said with a smile. "You're doing great London. Hang in there." Dr. Gentry patted London on the arm before heading to the door.

"DON'T COME BACK HERE WITHOUT SOME PHARMACEUTICALS!" London called out to Dr. Gentry before she left.

Out in the waiting area, Raven had just come out of the restroom when she happened upon Chelsea at the vending machine desperately trying to extract a pack of trail mix that was stuck behind one of the coils.

"Here." Raven said humbly as she walked over to the vending machine. "It's all in the hip… action." Raven then took a second to analyze the position of the bag. She the gripped the edge of the top of the machine and hit the machine with two quick bangs of her voluptuous hip releasing the bag from behind the coil and watching it drop to the bottom. She then reached inside to grab the bag and handed it to Chelsea.

"Thanks." Chelsea meekly said as she took the bag. She then turned toward the machine and put in a few more coins and watched as a bag of gummy bears dropped to the bottom. She took the bag out and handed it to Raven. "Your favorite vending machine snack."

"Thanks." Raven said.

"I'm… sorry I cursed at you earlier." Chelsea said.

"I'm sorry too." Raven said.

Chelsea paused for a minute. "I am still…"

"I know." Raven said. "I'm still…"

"I know." Chelsea responded and then paused. The two women uncomfortably shifted from foot to foot during the awkward moment. "You… want a soda? My treat."

"I'm good. Thanks." Raven said. The two wounded women stood looking at each other for a moment searching for the woman that they once knew. In a moment of weakness and vulnerability, Raven slowly leaned forward to kiss Chelsea. The redhead was frozen in place, desperately wanting to engage her beautiful wife in that kiss. Millimeters from her Raven's lips, however, Chelsea pulled away shaking her head.

"Too soon. Way… too soon." Chelsea said in a flustered voice as she began to walk away. "I'm sorry… I… cursed at you earlier." She said as her heels clicked on the tile as she walked back toward the waiting room.

Raven stood watching Chelsea walk down the hallway. "Me too Chels… Me too."

"Any word yet?" Zack asked after he and C.J. returned from a walk at the six-hour mark around 11:45.

"Nothing yet." Max said.

Barbara noticed that Maddie's mother was nodding off. "Mrs. Fitzpatrick, are you sure you don't want to go home and get some rest?" Barbara asked.

"Darlin', I wouldn't miss the birth of my grandchild for anything." Miranda said sweetly, coming a long way from the woman that ran her daughter out of the house when she found out about her relationship with London.

"We were at the hospital for thirty-nine hours when Genevieve gave birth to Matthew. This is nothin'." Irving said.

Lilly stood up and walked over to Barbara to sit down and compare pregnancy stories. Chelsea struck up a conversation with Max, Zack and C.J. Miley, seeing Raven re-enter the waiting area, walked over to her.

"Are Lilly and Barbara gonna be all right?" Raven asked.

"Yeah. I tried to get them to go home but they're determined to be here for London. I guess it's a pregnancy sisterhood or something." Miley said causing Raven to chuckle. "You feeling better?"

"A little." Raven said quietly. "Chelsea and I had a little encounter out in the hallway just now."

"Better than the one earlier I hope." Miley said.

"The best it's been since this whole mess started." Raven said. She then sighed. "I don't know how we got to this point, Miles. One minute everything was perfect, even better than when we got married, and then… bam… to hell in a hand basket."

"You're not thinking about…" Miley started.

"Don't… even say it." Raven admonished Miley. "I swore that I would never use the d-word when it comes to Chels and me… ever." Raven said. The d-word that she referred to was divorce. "Till death do us part." Raven said. "She'd have to kill me to get rid of me."

"I want to say something to you and I am saying this because I am your friend and because I love you and I figure that only Eddie and Gina have said this to you up to this point, maybe." Miley started, referring to Raven and Chelsea's best friends.

Miley started her next sentence to Raven just before Maddie, clad in blue hospital scrubs, stepped into the waiting room. Everyone snapped to attention and stood when she stepped in. Maddie scanned the entire waiting room with her soft brown eyes before taking a deep breath to speak.

_**FLASHBACK TO MOMENTS EARLIER…**_

London was wheeled from her private room into the birthing room down the hall. Sandra and Brandi stayed in the private room allowing Maddie to be her wife's support in the delivery room. She was in the middle of a strong contraction as they wheeled her into place. Maddie was by her side, holding her hand and encouraging her. Several minutes after everything was in place, Dr. Gentry gave London instructions.

"Okay London. This is it. I need you to push for me." Dr. Gentry said.

London bore down and pushed with all her might. "AAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH!" She then slumped back to catch her breath as Maddie encouraged her.

"That's good baby! You did good! Just a few more and our baby will be here! Come on baby!" Maddie said.

"All right London. You're doing fine. Give me another push on the count of three. Okay?" Dr. Gentry said. "One… two… three."

"AAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH!" Maddie brushed several strands of London's sweat-slicked hair out of her face as London panted for oxygen.

"Good London. We can almost see the crown of the head. We'll need you to push again in a minute."

"You are the most amazing woman I know. You are doing great." Maddie whispered.

"I am?" London asked with the look of an unsure child on her face.

"Yes you are." Maddie said with a smile.

"All right London. On the count of three give me another push." Dr. Gentry coached. "One… two… three, push!"

"AAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH!"

"Good! I can see the head. You're almost there." Dr. Gentry said.

"I can't!" London said, almost in tears. "I can't do this anymore! I'm so tired. Please! No more pushing!"

"London, come on. You can do this." Maddie said. "You're a CEO. You're an NBA owner. You're the richest, most influential woman in the United States. You can do anything you set your mind to and you want this baby. You've wanted this baby from the second we fell in love. Now push. Not for me, but for our child. Push."

"Give me one more super push, London. One more push and we can call it a night." Dr. gentry said. On three. One… two… three!"

"!"

"Atta girl!" Dr. Gentry said as the nurses went to quick work to towel off the baby and clear the airway for the baby's first cry.

"I don't hear anything! Where's my baby!" London panicked.

"Wait for it." Dr. Gentry said. Seconds later…

"WAAAAAAAAAHHHH! WAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! WAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

London and Maddie relaxed and melted into each others embrace in a half-cry, half-laugh as they listened to the loud wailing of their newborn.

"You are the proud parents of a healthy baby… girl." Dr. Gentry announced.

"It's a girl!" Maddie laughed as her tears streamed. "It's a girl, baby!" London wept as she lay on the gurney.

"A girl." London eked out as she cried.

One of the nurses handed the baby to Dr. Gentry, who walked over to place the baby in London's arms. The overwhelming feeling of joy and relief flooded London's senses as she cried harder. Maddie looked on as she wept for joy as well.

"Thank you God!" London softly cried out as she held her little girl for the first time. "Thank you God for little Catherine."

"She's beautiful!" Maddie whispered in amazement. "You created her."

"Our love created her." London said.

"Our love." Maddie responded.

_**END OF FLASHBACK**_

The group in the waiting room held its collective breath as Maddie opened her mouth to speak.

"At 11:39 pm, Eastern Daylight Time, London Tipton-Fitzpatrick gave birth to Catherine Miranda Li-Chen Tipton-Fitzpatrick." Maddie announced. The room erupted in cheers, tears and hugs. Maddie's mother stepped forward giving her daughter a giant bear hug, soon to be followed by her father, then her sister Genny. Everyone else followed suit.

"When can we see them?" Miranda asked.

"In the morning." Maddie said. "Dr. Gentry wants her to get some rest. It's been a long day. I'm gonna stay here with her. Brandi and Sandra are gonna stay too."

"Okay darlin'." Miranda said. "We'll be back in the morning."

"Sandy. Clo." Maddie said. Sandrine and Chloe stepped forward as Maddie reached into her pocket for her house key. "You're in charge of the place tonight. Don't mess up our good sheets." She said with a smirk.

"Please!" Chloe scoffed. "That's what the hot tub is for!" She said as she playfully snatched the key and gave Maddie a peck on the cheek. "Congratulations!"

Maddie shook her head as Sandrine stepped forward and gave her a friendly peck on the corner of her mouth. "Congratulations. We'll see you in the morning."

Everyone else came over to say their goodbyes to Maddie. Hanging back near the end were the rest of the Divas.

Miley stepped forward to hug Maddie. "No stress, Maddie." Miley whispered in acknowledgement of their secret.

"No stress, Miley." Maddie replied. "See you tomorrow."

Miley went over to talk briefly to Raven and Lilly when Chelsea stepped up to Maddie.

"You're gonna stay strong for me, right?" Maddie asked.

"I will." Chelsea affirmed. "Enjoy every second of this."

"I will." Maddie said as she exchanged a hug and kiss with Chelsea before the redhead walked out of the room and toward the group at the elevator.

"Blondie." Raven said with a smile and outstretched arms as they embraced. "You are going to be a phenomenal mother." Raven said as she squeezed Maddie tightly.

As she embraced Raven, she whispered into her ear, "You know she still loves you, right?"

Raven felt a sudden, overwhelming sob catch in her throat as she stared at the double doors leading back into the maternity ward. "I know." Raven eked out in a tear-laden voice. "I still love her too."

"Never stop fighting. You hear me?" Maddie said, still tightly embracing Raven. "In the end, love conquers all."

"Okay." Raven said meekly as tears welled up in her hazel eyes. The two women slowly broke their embrace and held each other by the hands. "Give London and the baby a kiss for me."

"You bet." Maddie whispered as she watched Raven slowly walk toward the now empty elevator lobby.

Two days came and went with London and Maddie bonding with their precious baby girl. On that sunny Tuesday morning, Maddie went down to the admitting office to sign the paperwork releasing London. This allowed London to share a few minutes alone with her newborn. As she sat in the wheelchair she was required to leave the hospital in, she began rocking her baby girl.

"You have no idea how selfish your mommy was when she was younger." London spoke to Catherine in her sweetest sweet voice as she cradled the infant in her arms. "She bossed people around and didn't care about people's feelings and spent tons of money… okay she still spends tons of money..." London chuckled as she looked down at her daughter's angelic face. "But you know what?" London said with her eyes welling up with tears. "Your Momma Maddie always stuck by her, and believed in her. She loved her and never gave up on her." London brushed away tears with her right hand. "Catherine, promise me this. No matter who you fall in love with, and I mean your true love not some passing fling, I mean the one that you want to spend the rest of your life with, give him or her your heart, even though there's a chance you could get hurt. That's what life is all about." London paused as she gazed into Catherine's big, expressive brown eyes. "Mommy is writing this book about searching for tomorrow, searching for true happiness in life. Well with Momma Maddie, and now you… I found it. I've found true happiness. But this is just the beginning 'cause see, when I look at you… I realize that the search keeps going on. I've got to teach you to search for that true happiness in life; to find your tomorrow. And let you know that when you do find it, to make sure that your tomorrow… never dies."

"I think you just found the ending to your book." London looked up to see Maddie leaning against the door frame of the room smiling sweetly at them.

"How long have you been standing there?" London asked with a smile.

"Long enough to tell you that you were wrong about something you told our daughter. You did care about people's feelings. You just cared about your own more." Maddie said as she walked over to mother and child. "We were all like that as teenagers. But you did grow up to become the most extraordinary woman I've ever met."

"So when you said all that stuff in the delivery room, you just weren't trying to get me to push. You really meant it." London said.

Maddie knelt down and kissed Catherine on the forehead and stroked her baby soft hair. "If I didn't mean it, I wouldn't have been in there with you." Maddie said before leaning forward and kissing London softly on the lips.

"I love you so much, Blondie." London said as her eyes darted back and forth looking into Maddie's eyes.

"I love you too, Princess." Maddie said softly. "Come on. Let's take Catherine home." Maddie said as she stood up and walked around behind the wheelchair. She began to slowly push the chair as she reached out with her right hand and grabbed London's bag off of the bed, slinging it over her shoulder.

"I don't know why I have to ride in this thing. I can walk to the car." London said as she was being pushed toward the elevator.

"Hospital policy. Plus Angie would kill me if she saw you walk out of here." Maddie said.

"We need a nickname for Catherine." London said.

Maddie thought for a moment. "How about Cathy?" Maddie said.

"No. Sounds old." London responded. "How about Randi? You know, short for Miranda?"

"No. I don't like that." Maddie said as she continued to push London down the hallway. "How 'bout Li-Li, short for Li-Chen?"

"Sounds like a panda at the zoo." London said. "Don't tell my mother I said that."

Maddie laughed. "Okay." Maddie reached the elevator and pushed the button. "I got it. Angel. She is, after all, our little angel."

"Angel. I like that." London said sweetly. "Angel it is." Just then the chime on the elevator sounded and the doors opened. Maddie turned around and began backing the wheelchair into the elevator. "Blondie, Princess and Angel are headed home to continue their search for tomorrow." London said.

Just as the chime sounded again for the doors to close, Maddie put the punctuation on London's statement. "The search for tomorrow… that never dies." The elevator doors then closed and the Tipton-Fitzpatrick family headed home.

* * *

**After nearly 80,000 words and 18 chapters, your search for tomorrow has come to an end. I hope you enjoyed this story. There will be a sequel to this story. Midway through writing this chapter, I came up with the name for the third story in the trilogy. It will be called **_**Tomorrow Never Dies**_**. Yes, that was the title of a James Bond movie but I never said all my titles were original! **

**I have several stories to pen before I come back to this one, but rest assured, I will be back before you know it.**

"**Dang flabbit! TRIP! Are you comin' or what? You've got a story to write for us!"**

**Sorry guys. Miley's a little impatient. I've been promising her a sequel since I finished Best of Both Worlds back in October. So I better get going.**

"**TRIP!"**

"**I'M COMING!"**

**I love you guys. Take care. I'll see you in chapter one of ****my new Liley fic, **_**Back to the Future**_**. And always remember when you laugh and love, you live. See ya.**


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